Catena 

Title: Count
Title in succession: 8th
Date created: 1745
Grant by:  Grand Master Pinto de Fonseca
Granted To: Pietro Gaetano Perdicomati-Bologna
Rep: Hornyold-Strickland
Remainder to: his descendants and successors to the Catena Estates in perpetuity
Present Holder: Henry Charles Hornyold-Strickland (UK)
Note: Count of Catena was annexed to the grantee's estates, where this title may not only be inherited by the 
Counts first son, but also by a stranger who may come to own the Catena Estates.
Further notes: U.K

The title of `Count of Catena` was annexed to the grantee`s estate which was raised to the dignity of a feudal tenure. This title may be inherited not only by the first count`s descendants but also by any stranger in blood who may come to own the Catena estates.

Inheritance to this title was also closely linked to the inheritance of the primogeniture Bologna.

The title was granted to Pietro Gaetano Perdicomati-Bologna, a Syracusean Patrician by Grand Master Pinto de Fonseca on the year of 1745, with remainder to his descendants and successors to the Catena estates in perpetuity

During Pinto's Grand Mastership, Niccolo Bologno, Count of Catena, was appointed ambassador to Licata and Procurator of Wheat in 1758. In June that year, the Count and his family left for Sicily and then returned to Malta two years later when his term of office ended.

Nicola Bologna who in 1745 made a marriage contract with Maria Theresia Grech, daughter of Fabritio Grech, a noted lawyer and legal advisor to the Grand Master Pinto. Some of Nicola's family considered a marriage to a 
daughter of a lawyer to be a mesalliance, and complained that the Grech family were no more than upstarts who did not even have a descent residence. The snubbed lawyer ordered the building of a magnificent residence at 
Attard, today know as Villa Bologna. Upon its completion it was given to his daughter as a wedding present.

Succession in the Perdicomati-Bologna`s family, came to an end , after the 4th Countess death.

Maria Angelica Perdicomati-Bologna, the 4th Countess , was married to Paolo Sceberras dei Baroni Castel Cicciano, and was succeeded by their eldest surviving son, Sir Nicola Sceberras-Bologna K.C.M.G., Becoming the 5th 
Count, though dying without an heir in 1875.



Upon the 5th Counts death in 1875 a protracted law suit ensued between Felicissmo Apap-Bologna and Luisa Bonici-Mompalao for and behalf of her son. 

The title of Count of Catena was tied to the Bologna estates `Primogeniture` and estates and as Felicissmo was the first born male he claimed the primogeniture estates and title. His claim was upheld twice by the Maltese Courts but this decision was overruled by the privy Council on 6-2-1882 who awarded everything to Luisa`s son Gerald.


Sir Gerald Strickland G.C.M.G, the 6th Count of Catena, who succeeded by decision of H.M Privy Council on the 6th of February 1882, was a Barrister at Law at Inner Temple, a Major in the Royal Malta Militia, Chief secretary to the Governor of Malta 1889-1902, Governor of Leeward Islands 1902-04, of Tasmania 1904-09, of Western Australia 1909-1913, and of New South Wales 1913-17, Norfolk Island 1913. (There is more information below).

Leader of the Opposition of Government in Malta 1921-27, Head of Ministry for Police and Justice 1927-32, member of the Senate and leader of the opposition in Malta 1933.

One of the oldest Noble known names in England , the name Strickland comes from an area known as Westmorland which had the name Stricaland or Stirkeland. The oldest name was "de Stirkeland", and was later written as Strykland or Strikland and even Sterkeland. There is information that goes back to 1066 when the family was well accepted into the annals of history as followers of the christian faith, at times persecuted for their beliefs. 

Founder of the Allied Malta Newspapers Ltd, Establised cotton and sugar factories in the Leeward Islands, Created C.M.G 1889, K.C.M.G 1897, G.C.M.G 1913 and raised to the peerage of the United Kingdom as Baron Strickland of 
Sizergh 1928.


Lord Gerald Strickland Gerald Strickland, Count della Catena, the son of Walter Strickland and Louisa Bonnici Mompalao, was born in Valletta in 1861 and pursued his studies in Malta, England and Italy. In 1887 was elected to the Council of Government, and in the following year he was appointed Chief Secretary, a post which he held till 1902 when he was nominated Governor of the Leeward Island (1902 - 1904). He was also Governor of Tasmania, Western Australia
and New South Wales.
In 1917 Count Strickland returned to Malta and after the grant of Self Government, formed the Anglo-Maltese Party, which soon afterward amalgamated with the Maltese Constitutional and became the Constitutional Party under his leadership. As such , Strickland was the leader of the Opposition between 1921 - 1927.

Most Noble Margaret Lady Strickland, Baroness of Sizergh and Countess Bologna della Catena

After the 1927 elections, Strickland, whose party together with the Labour Party had a majority in the Legislative Assembly, became Head of Ministry. The most important events of his administration were without any doubt his clash with the Senate, which led to the issue of Letters Patent which curtailed its powers, and his concurrent clash with the Ecclesiastical Authorities which led to the suspension of the Constitution in 1930.

Between July 1932 and November 1933, Lord Strickland was again the leader of the Opposition, and was again the leader of the Opposition, and after the grant of a new Constitution in1939, he became the leader of the
elected majority in the Council of Government.

Lord Strickland died at his residence at Casa Attard on 22 August 1940 and was buried in the family chapel at the Cathedral Church at Mdina.

Married firstly to Lady Edeline Sackville-West, the daughter of the 7th Earl de la Warr, and had surviving issues , with no sons.

Married secondly to Margaret Hulton, with no issue from this marriage.


Lord Strickland, becoming the only Maltese to be created a Title in the United Kingdom, though the title becoming Extinct on his death in 1940.

Lord Strickland was a man of great Honour and much loved by all, who he served.



His successor was his grandson, from Lord Gerald`s eldest daughter, Hon Mary Constance Strickland and Henry dei Marchese Hornyold-Gandolfi.



Thomas Henry Hornyold-Strickland , succeeded as the 7th Count of Catena, dying in 1983, succeeded by his son, the present Holder of the title.

Henry Charles Hornyold-Strickland , the 8th Count lives in England, and is a Consultant Manager , and has two sons.



A short Family tree of the Counts of Catena.



1. Sir Nicola Sceberras Bologna KCMG (died 1875), 5th Count of Catena, married 1830 to Maria Antonia Montalto de Riberia, and dsp.
2. Maria Teresa Sceberras Bologna , married 1830 to Chev. P.P. Bonici Mompalao
2.1. Luisa Bonici Mompalao (c 1833-1907), married 1858 to Cmdr Walter Strickland
2.1.1. Sir Gerald Strickland GCMG (c 1861-1940) 6th Count of Catena, Baron 
Strickland of Sizergh, married firstly 1890 to Lady Edeline Sackville West, married secondly 1926 to Margaret Hulton DBE
2.1.1.1. (first marriage) Hon Mary Constance Strickland (c 1896-1970), married 1920 to Henry dei Marchese Hornyold Gandoldi
2.1.1.1.1. Henry Hornyold Strickland (c 1921-83), 7th Count of Catena, married 1951 to Angela Englehart
2.1.1.1.1.1. Henry Hornyold Strickland (c 1951-, 8th Count of Catena, married 1979 to Claudine Poumirau
2.1.1.1.1.1.1. Hugo Hornyold Strickland, Contino della Catena (c 1979-
2.1.1.1.1.1.2. Thomas Hornyold Strickland (c 1985-
2.1.1.1.1.2. Robert Hornyold Strickland (c 1954-, married 1983 to Teresa Fawcett
2.1.1.1.1.2.1. Francis Hornyold Strickland (c 1986-
2.1.1.1.1.2.2. Rollo Michael Hornyold Strickland (c 1988-
2.1.1.1.1.2.3. Zoe Clementina Hornyold Strickland (c 1991-
2.1.1.1.1.3. John Hornyold Strickland (c 1956-
2.1.1.1.1.4. Edward Hornyold Strickland (c 1960-
2.1.1.1.1.5. Clare Hornyold Strickland (c 1953-, married 1981 to Anthony Prince
2.1.1.1.1.6. Alice Hornyold Strickland (c 1959-, married 1988 to Charles Loftie
2.1.1.1.1.6.1. William Loftie (c 1991-
2.1.1.1.1.6.2. Eleanor Loftie (c 1992-
2.1.1.1.2. Edeline Hornyold Strickland (c 1922-81), married Norman Coppock
2.1.1.1.2.1 Michael Coppock (c 1949-, married 1975 to Susan Davies
2.1.1.1.2.1.1.. David Coppock (c 1978-
2.1.1.1.2.1.2. Andrew Coppock (c 1983-
2.1.1.1.2.1.3. Sarah Coppock (c 1976-
2.1.1.2. Hon Cecilia Strickland (c 1897-1982), married 1927 to Capt Edmund de Trafford
2.1.1.2.1. Gerald de Trafford (c 1929-, married 1971 to Charlotte Hallo
2.1.1.2.1.1. Jasper Peter de Trafford (c 1975-
2.1.1.2.1.2. Aloisea Cecilia de Trafford (c 1973-
2.1.1.2.2. Anthony de Trafford (c 1935-, married 1966 to Gabrielle Boome
2.1.1.2.3. Hubert de Trafford (c 1937-93), married Firstly 1966 to Christine Sydney Adams, secondly 1975 to Mary Willis
2.1.1.2.3.1. (first marriage) Rachel de Trafford (c 1967-, married 1991 to Bengt Sjobert
2.1.1.2.3.1.1. Rebecca Sjobert (c 1993-
2.1.1.2.3.2. Martha de Trafford (c 1969-
2.1.1.2.3.3. (second marriage) John de Trafford (c 1976-
2.1.1.2.3.4. George de Trafford (c 1980-
2.1.1.2.3.5. Fleur Cecilia de Trafford (c 1978-
2.1.1.2.4. Margaret de Trafford (c 1928-, married 1952 to Cdr William Faulkner
2.1.1.2.4.1. Hugh Faulkner (c 1953-, married 1992 to Hon Sarah Wedderburn
2.1.1.2.4.1.1. Lucy Faulkner (c1993-
2.1.1.2.4.2. Mark Faulkner (c 1955-, married 1979 to Hon Deborah MacAndrew
2.1.1.2.4.2.1. James Faulkner (c1983-
2.1.1.2.4.2.2. Alexander Faulkner (c1987-
2.1.1.2.4.2.3. Patrick Faulkner (c 1992-
2.1.1.2.4.3. Rosalind Faulkner (c 1959-, married 1986 Francis Willis
2.1.1.2.4.3.1. Francis Willis (c 1989-
2.1.1.2.4.3.2. Robert Willis (c 1991-
2.1.1.2.4.3.3. Matthew Willis (c 1993-
2.1.1.2.4.4. Catherine Faulkner (c 1961-, married 1984 to Andrew Scott
2.1.1.2.4.4.1. Rory David Scott (c 1993-
2.1.1.2.4.4.2. Alice Scott (c 1989-
2.1.1.3. Hon Mabel Strickland OBE (c 1899-1988), dunm.
2.1.1.4. Hon Dr Constance Strickland LMSSA (c 1912-79), dunm.
2.1.1.5. Hon Henrietta Strickland (c 1903-, married 1922 to Cmdr Robert Bower RN
2.1.1.5.1. Marianna Laetita Bower , married 1950 to Gilbert Monkton CB, OBE, MC, 2nd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley
2.1.1.5.1.1. Hon Christopher Monckton MA, (c 1952-, married 1990 to Juliet Mary Jenson
2.1.1.5.1.2. Hon Timothy Monckton (c 1955-, married 1984 to Jennifer Carmody
2.1.1.5.1.2.1. Dominic Monckton (c 1985-
2.1.1.5.1.2.2. James Monckton (c 1988-
2.1.1.5.1.2.3. William Monckton (c 1992-
2.1.1.5.1.3. Hon Jonathan Monckton (c 1955-, married Carinda Therese Beeson
2.1.1.5.1.4. Hon Anthony Monkton (c 1960-, married 1985 Philippa Wingsfield
2.1.1.5.1.4.1. Edward Monckton (c 1988-
2.1.1.5.1.4.2. Camilla Monckton (c 1989-
2.1.1.5.1.5. Hon Rosalind Monckton (c 1953-, married Hon Dominic Lawson
2.1.1.5.1.5.1. Savannah Lawson (c 1992-
2.1.1.5.1.5.2. Domenica Lawson (c 1995- (God-daughter of the Late HRH, Princess Diane, Princess of Wales)
2.1.1.5.2. Paul Bower
2.1.1.5.3. Veronica Bower
2.1.2. Rev. Joseph Strickland (c 1864-92)
2.1.3. Charles Strickland Bologna (c 1867-, married Caroline Naudis
2.1.3.1. Roger Strickland Bologna MP, married and Melita Amato, and dsp.
2.1.3.2. Gerald Strickland Bologna, married
2.1.3.2.1. Capt. Adrian Strickland Bologna, married Jacqueline Micallef
2.1.3.1.1.1. Lara Strickland Bologna, married Julien Bugeja Viani dei Baroni di Tabria
2.1.3.1.1.2. Gerald Strickland Bologna
2.1.3.1.1.3. Daughter.
2.1.3.1.2. Roger Strickland Bologna, married NN Micelo Demajo
2.1.3.1.2.1. Roger Strickland Bologna, (1977-
2.1.3.1.2.2. Daughter
2.1.3.1.3. Gerald Strickland, married
2.1.3.1.3.1. Daughter
2.1.3.2. Kitty Strickland Bologna, married George Jackson, with issue
2.1.3.3. Mary Strickland Bologna, married NN di Rienzo, with issue
2.1.4. Paul Strickland ( 1862-
3. Maria Sceberras Bologna , married 1829 to Dr Filippo Apap LLD, 3rd 
Marchese di Gnien is Sultan (see descendants in Table 4)
4. Aloisea Sceberras Bologna , married 1826 to Gilbert Testaferrata Viani, 
5th Baron di Tabria (see descendants in Table 5)

*10 The Strickland Family Tree: 

1. Sir Adam De Strykelonde (1066-1160) Went to England from Normandy with William the Conqueror in 1066, and married a girl from the Sir Roger de Furness family
2. Adam De Stirkeland (1100-1160) 
3. Sir Walter De Stirkeland (1151-1160) born 1151 and married to Cristina Fitz Renfried, was Judge of Appleby. 
4. Adam De Sterkeland, was given as hostage to King John to assure peace from Gilbert, the son of Roger Fitz Renfried 
5. Sir Robert De Stirkeland, (1191-1275) married to Alice del Howes
6. Sir William De Stirkeland (1219-1300) son of Robert and married to Elizabeth d'Aincourt
7. Sir Walter De Stirkeland (1255-1344) married to Eleonora de Galdington, William's daughter and had fought with Edward 1 at the battle of Carlaverock in 1303
8. Sir Thomas De Stirkeland 1300-1377, married Cecilia de Welles. His daughter Catherine married John de Ross of Kendle castle, and his niece Elisabeth married William du Parr knight of Kendal castle and is related to the Queen Catherine Parr
9. Sir Walter De Stirkeland 1346-1406, married Margaret de Lathorn and later to Isabel d'Olney
10.Sir Thomas De Stirkeland 1382-1453, married to Mabel de Bethon in 1405, decorated for the battle of Agincourt.
11. Walter Strickland Esq, 1406-1465, married to Dance daughter of Sir Nicholas de Croft in 1426, was in charge of the royal gardens of Calgarth.

12. Sir Thomas Strickland, 1440-1495, married to Agnes Parr
13. Sir Walter Strickland, 1460-1506, married to Elisabeth Pennington
14. Sir Walter Strickland, 1497-1528, married the daughter of Richard Redman but later remarried Catherine Neville.
15. Walter Strickland, 1518-1528, son and heir of Sir Thomas of Sizergh, married to Alice Tempest
16. Sir Thomas Strickland, 1557-1617, married to Margaret Curwen of Workington, was knighted in the Order of the Bath of James 1, and represented his kinship of Westmorland in Parliament
17. Colonel Sir Robert Strickland, 1600-1670, married Margaret heir of Sir William Alford of Bylton. Commanded the militia of King Charles 1 and received commission to command the Cavalry in the battle of Edgebth.
18. Right Honorable Sir Thomas Strickland, 1621-1694, married at age 53 to Winifred daughter of Sir Christopher Trentham of Rochester, King Charles knighted him, after the battle of Edgehill and represented Westmorland Parliament in 1661 and was forced to resign in 1676 due to his religious belief in the Catholic Church. Was privy councillor in the court of St.James II who followed him to France after being thrown out of England. His third son Roger was a page of Prince Conde' and his fourth son Thomas became Archbishop of Namur and was sent as representative and Ambassador to the UK.
19. Walter Strickland 1675-1714, married to Anne Salvin and from here the three family lines were generated. 
i) Walter Gerald Strickland ii)Henry Noailles Widdrington Standish iii) Lord Strickland

20 (Lord Strickland) Jarrad Strickland,  married Mary Bagnall
21 Jarrad Edward Strickland, 1741-1795 married to Cecilia daughter of William Townley heir to Ralph Standish and Lady Phillipa Howard
22. Jarrad Edward Strickland, 1782-1844, son of Jarrad Edward was Captain in the Indiana Cavalry and fell prisoner to the French and married Anne Chalmely.
23. Captain Walter Strickland, R.N 1824-1867, son of Jarrad Edward, married in 1858 to Louisa daughter of Chev. Pietru Paul Bonnici Mompalao heir to Sir Nicholas Sciberras Bologna Conti della Catena title granted by Grandmaster Pinto in 1745, with the motto "Sans Mal". Walter had a friend Roger Tickbourne who was aboard a vessel named "Bella" that sank. There were no survivors but a few years later in Australia there was a person claiming to be Roger and that he survived and his mother accepted him. But one of the heirs refused to accept him, and the case was born known as "the Tickbourne Case"  which cost 200,000 pounds in 1867. The impersonator was Arthur Orton, and Walter was a witness in the case, but before he had time to be put on the stand he died suddenly in Stoneyhurst where a statue was made for him by the Jesuits and his wife claimed that he was poisoned as he knew this Arthur was not the real Tickbourne. He had four children, Gerald, Paul (a lawyer), (Walter who died young) Joseph a Jesuit priest and Charles.
24. Lord Strickland of Sizergh, 1861- 1940     Lord Gerald Strickland was born in Valletta on 24th May 1861, son of Walter Strickland and Louisa Bonici Mompalao. Gerald studied in Malta, Britain and Italy. He began to take an active part in Maltese politics at an early age and won the warm praise of Dr. Fortunato Mizzi, whom he even accompanied to London to submit a scheme for a legislative assembly. The result was that the new Constitution of December 1887 was largely based on the joint Strickland-Mizzi proposals. In 1887, at the age of 28, he was elected to the Council of Government as representative of the nobility and land proprietors. In 1888 he was nominated Principal Government Secretary, a position he held until 1902. Strickland was created a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in 1889, for rendering invaluable services during a severe cholera epidemic. He was Governor of the Leeward Islands in the West Indies (1902-04), Tasmania (1904-9), West Australia (1909-12) and New South Wales (1912-17). On returning to Malta after the grant of self government, Strickland founded the Anglo-Maltese Party in 1921 and after a few months it merged with the Maltese Constitutional Party forming the CP under his leadership. He was Leader of the Opposition (1921-27). In 1924, Lord Strickland won the sear for Lancaster for the Conservatives in the House of Commons. After the 1927 elections, following the so called "compact" alliance with the Labour Party, he had a majority in the Legislative Assembly and became Head of Ministry (the fourth Prime Minister between August 1927 and June 1930). In 1928 he was elevated to the peerage. One of the most important projects of his government was the commencement of building works for St. Luke's Hospital. During his administration Lord Strickland clashed with the Senate leading to the issue of Letters Patent which curtailed its powers. Concurrently he clashed with the ecclesiastical authorities which led to the suspension of the Constitution in 1930. Between July 1932 and November 1933 he was once again Leader of the Opposition and in 1939, after the grant of the new Constitution he became the leader of the elected majority in the Council of Government. He was an owner and director of Progress Printing Company and The Times of Malta. In 1890 Lord Strickland married Lady Edeline Sackville and they had eight children. In 1926 Gerald Strickland re-married Margarete Hulton. He died at his residence in Villa Bologna, Attard and is buried in the family chapel at the Mdina Cathedral.

Some Strickland Historical accounts [*11 ]

During the 1930 general election campaign, Malta`s Prime Minister, Lord Strickland, was at loggerheads with the ecclesiastical authorities. On May 1 the Archbishop of Malta, Dom Maurus Caruana, and the Bishop of Gozo, Mgr Michael Gonzi, issued a joint pastoral letter declaring that it would be a mortal sin to vote for Strickland and his candidates, and for those who support him or his party. On April 17 the Governor, General Sir John Du Cane, had dissolved the Legislative Assembly.

On Friday, May 23, Lord Strickland went to the Auberge d`Auvergne in Kingsway, Valletta, which then housed the law courts, to attend a sitting of the Court of Appeal, which was hearing a case about the electoral law. While Strickland was walking along one of the corridors of the law courts, three shots were fired, allegedly at Strickland.

The shots had gone astray. The bullets hit a wall and the ceiling and had remained lodged there. Strickland took the matter calmly and went inside the courtroom to read his morning paper.

Police Sergeant Duminku Depares and Constables Giuliano Caruana and George Vella, who were near Lord Strickland, intervened, and the gunman, 43-year-old Ġanni Miller, was apprehended and disarmed.

The news of the assassination attempt caused an enormous commotion and quickly spread throughout Valletta.

In a matter of minutes a crowd rushed to the law courts and when it was learned that Strickland was unhurt a section of the crowd began shouting "Long live Strickland and down with Mizzi", referring to Nerik Mizzi, the co-leader of the Nationalist Party and Strickland`s political opponent.

However, when Dr Mizzi heard what had happened he sent Strickland a message of sympathy, strongly condemning the attempt. As a gesture of goodwill, Strickland, accompanied by his daughter Mabel, visited the Nationalist Party printing press in South Street to thank Dr Mizzi personally.

Strickland received many messages of support, foremost among them those from King George V and Archbishop Caruana and Bishop Gonzi.

Ironically, about three years earlier, Miller, who at that time was serving a 15-year prison sentence for inciting soldiers to lay down their arms during the1919 riots, had petitioned the Governor for an amnesty. The prison sentence was reduced, and when Strickland came to power in 1927 Miller was released from prison.

Meanwhile, some weeks prior to the assassination attempt, Miller was accused of threatening Dr John Bugeja and Tancred Borg of the Constitutional Party.

These events led the court to appoint Professor Edgar Ferro and two other doctors to draw up a report about Miller`s mental health; the court experts reported that Miller was of sound mind.

When on May 27, 1930, Magistrate E. Bartoli started hearing evidence about the assassination attempt, the prosecution, led by Superintendent Alfred Borg, who had been with Strickland at the time of the shooting, and legal procurator Augusto German requested the court to continue hearing the evidence behind closed doors on the grounds that the attempt was part of a conspiracy.

Legal procurator Bertu Mizzi objected, but the court upheld the prosecution`s request. Dr Mizzi was assisting defence counsel Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, popularly known as Il-Gross, who was not present in court when the magistrate gave his ruling.

Soon after Miller`s attempt on Lord Strickland, it was alleged that Police Inspector Carol Saliba had produced a paid informant, Toni Bugeja, from Marsaxlokk, to make a sworn statement to the effect that some time before the assassination attempt, he (Bugeja) had been encouraged by Dr Mifsud Bonnici to try to kill Lord Strickland.

The affidavit was sworn on June 17, 1930, but Inspector Saliba denied the allegation that he had in any way incited Bugeja. Dr Mifsud Bonnici also denied the allegation in his regard.

Miller`s trial by jury opened on November 18, 1930 and Giuseppe Mifsud, a witness for the prosecution, testified that the accused used to grumble against Strickland because he had lost his licence as a lotto receiver during Strickland`s administration. Another witness testified that the accused was promised a job at the Central Hospital and blamed Strickland when he did not get it.

Moreover, Borg testified that some hours before the assassination attempt Miller had told him that Strickland`s life was in danger. It also transpired that Miller had purchased the gun and 25 rounds of ammunition one or two days before the assassination attempt.

The defence argued that the accused had not aimed at Strickland and that the experts appointed by the court had confirmed that the gun was pointed upwards when it was fired.

By eight votes to one the jurors found Miller guilty of attempted homicide; he was sentenced to 15 years` imprisonment.

A few days after the assassination attempt, the May 28 edition of Il Progress, the organ of the Constitutional Party, reported that five months before the attempt on Strickland`s life, some had started conspiring against Strickland after a certain individual, referred to as Mr X, had returned to Malta from Egypt.

Il Progress alleged that Mr X had met a person who ran a grocery shop in St Ursula Street, and persuaded him to kill Lord Strickland and his deputy, Sir Augustus Bartolo, the education minister.

It was also alleged that Mr X promised the grocer that if caught after the murders he would be sent to the mental hospital and eventually released when the Nationalist Party returned to power.

The Nationalist Party denied the allegations and challenged the editor of Il Progress to divulge the names of Mr X and the grocer, but the names were never revealed.

Three years after Strickland`s assassination attempt, Inspector Saliba`s name was once again mentioned when the Police Commissioner informed the then Nationalist Minister of Police that he was holding a special inquiry as he had received information that during the previous Strickland administration Inspector Saliba had offered to murder Lord Strickland, when on or about June 1, 1930, he broached this idea to legal procurator Bertu Mizzi, at the time a Nationalist member of the Legislative Assembly.

When disciplinary proceedings were instituted against Inspector, Mizzi testified that Saliba had approached him and hinted that he could arrange to eliminate Strickland for £20.

Times of Malta Article: Strickland House: The making of an institution




Was Head of Maltese Ministry - Baron Gerald Strickland, G.C.M.G., Count della Catena, died in Malta on August 22 at the age of 79.

Deeply mourned throughout the island Of Malta by people who held him in esteem, and for whose cause he worked indefatigably, Lord Strickland had the consolation of knowing that Maltese were praying for him during his last hours. The funeral took place last Friday at the family vault in Malta Cathedral.

He was born on the island in 1861, and was the son of Captain Walter Strickland, R.N., and Louisa, only child of the Chevalier Bonici Mompalao and heiress of Sir Nicholas Sceberras Bologna, K.C.M.G. Lord Strickland was educated at Oscott, at the Mondragone College near Rome, at Malta University, and at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he obtained his degrees of B.A. and LL.B., and where he was president of the University Union irt 1887.

Succeeding his maternal grand-uncle is sixth Count della Catena In 1875, he travelled round the world in 1884 and reported on Maltese migration to Australia. His services as Chairman of the Cholera Committee gained for him the C.M.G. in 18R8, and from the following year till 1902 he was Chief Secretary of Malta, being knighted five years after relinquishing that post. He was Major of a Regiment he himself raised, known as the Royal Maltese Regiment, and in this and other activities he proved his unswerving loyalty to Britain, a characteristic of the deceased which at one time in his public career unfortunately conflicted with his undeniable devotedness to the interests of his Church, He held the Governorship of more than one colony, that of the Leeward Islands, where he established central factories for sugar and cotton, from 1902 to 1904; of Tasmania, from 1904 to 1909; of Western Australia, from 1909 to 1913; of Norfolk Islands, from then till 1916; and of New South Wales, from 1911 to 1917,

DESCENDED FROM MARTYRS

In this country he represented Lancaster as a Unionist in Parliament from 1924 to 1928, As member of the Malta Legislative Assembly for Gozo, and leader of the Opposition to the Nationalist Government in the Malta Parliament from 1921 to 1925, we see Lord Strickland more fully identified with public affairs on his native island. He was appointed head of the Ministry and Minister of Justice in 1927, and Senator and leader of the Opposition in 1932. He became 1st Baron Strickland in 1928, and Lord of the Manors of Sizergh and Natland, and it is interesting to recall that the College of Arms returned him among the descendants of two English Martyrs, Lady Margaret Plantagenet and Philip Howard.

In 1890 Lord Strickland married Lady Edeline Sackville, daughter of the 7th Earl be La Warr, and who died in 1918, leaving him five daughters. His second wife, whom he married in 1926, is Margaret, the fourth daughter of the late Edward Hutton, of Manchester, and sister of the late Sir Edward Hultort, Bt.

(IF THERE ARE ANY UPDATES TO ANY TREES, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO 
'[email protected]  or [email protected] ' stating site you seen the genealogical tree and updates.)


References: 1) Gauci,C.A.," The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble 
Families of Malta", Gulf Publishing Ltd, Malta, 1981.
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Volume Two", Publishers Enterprises Group (PEG) Ltd, 1992.
3) Gauci,C.A and Mallet, P.,"The Palaeologos Family- A Genealogical Review" 
,Publishers Enterprises Group (PEG) Ltd, 1985
4) Gauci, C.A.," A Guide to the Maltese Nobility", Publishers Enterprise 
Group (PEG) Ltd, Malta, 1986.
5) Montalto, J., "The Nobles of Malta-1530-1800", Midsea Books Ltd, Malta, 
1980.
6) De Piro, N., "Casa Rocco Piccola", The Conde' Nast Publications 1999.' 
Http://www.vol.net.mt/casarocca '
7) Giles Ash, S., "The Nobility of Malta", Publishers Enterprises Group 
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