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Malta 1901, 1901

 File
Reference Code: GBR/0115/RCS/QM 3

Scope and Contents

Contains platinum prints, measuring circa 275 x 210 mm. and mounted in an untitled red half leather album, which from marks on its front cover once had a Maltese Cross attached inscribed: 'Malta 1901' in Queen Mary's hand on the flyleaf. Though the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (as they then were) visited Malta on HMS Ophir from 25-27 March 1901, on their way to Australia, this album is not a record of their visit, but a collection of local scenes, including places they visited, presumably presented on that occasion. Plate 5 is marked R. Ellis. Titles are marked on the prints; plates 1-6 are of Valletta, plates 7-54 the Co-Cathedral of St John, 55-68 the Governors Palace (both these buildings were visited in the morning of 26 March), 69 St Antonio Palace (27 March), 70-71 Mdina Cathedral (26 March) and 72 the Chapel of Bones. The Co-Cathedral of St. John, originally built as a Conventual Church of the Order of St John (the Knights of Malta) 1573-1577, and containing memorials of its Grand Masters, it was created a co-Cathedral in 1816. It is probable that the whole collection came from the studio of Richard Ellis.

Dates

  • 1901

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Biographical / Historical

Richard Ellis (floruit 1870-1929), a commercial photographer, founded his photographic business in Malta in 1871 and his studio in 1915. The studio was located at 278 Strada Reala, Valletta.

Extent

1 album(s) (72 images in 1 boxed album)

Language of Materials

English

Bibliography

An account of the visit is in: Wallace, D. (1902), The web of empire: a diary of the imperial tour of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York in 1901, London : Macmillan, p. 29-41. A detailed account of the Co-Cathedral of St John is found in: Scicluna, H.P. (1955), The Church of St John in Valletta; its history, architecture and monuments, with a brief history of the Order of St John from its inception to the present day, San Martin, Malta : Scicluna. A shorter account is in: Sammut, Edward (1950), The Co-Cathedral of St John, formerly the Conventual Church of the Order of Malta, and its art treasures, Malta : Progress Press Ltd.

General

GD. PJ (main entry and indexing).

Date information

DateText: Date of presentation of album.

Originator(s)

? Ellis, Richard, fl 1870-1929, photographer

Finding aid date

2002-06-24 12:27:21+00:00

Includes index.

Repository Details

Part of the Cambridge University Library Repository

Contact:
Cambridge University Library
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Cambridge CB3 9DR United Kingdom