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Detailed
History
The first dwellings
The earliest records of dwellings in Balzan
date back to 1419-20. In the Militia List of the same date,
Balzan is reported to have had around twenty dwellers residing
within its boundaries.
Census reports dating back to 1575 show that
there were a total of 60 dwellings in Balzan at the time,
where approximately 500 people lived. These dwellings included
townhouses of the wealthy as well as farms. . Up to a few
years ago old farmhouses such as those known as Ta' Sajrunies
and tad- Dingejruti were still standing in Quarry Lane.
A Fluctuating Population
In 1646 the number of households had increased
to 140, however the population had only increased by less
than a hundred people amounting to 584. Up to that date, Balzan
was part of the neighbouring village of Birkirkara. When Balzan
became an independent village with its own parish church,
in 1655, the number of households increased to 1,400. Nevertheless
in spite of the increase in houses, the population decreased;
to 530.
The fluctuating population still goes on today
as it did throughout the history of the village:
During the war Balzan’s population increased drastically,
when people from the Cottonera area came to seek refuge in
the quiet village of Balzan. In fact they liked it so much
that many of them stayed and never returned!
The Origin of “Balzan”
In
Malta, many village names are identical to certain family
names, as in Attard and Lija. It is believed by some, therefore,
that the village inherited its name from a Sicilian family
whose family name was Balzan (or Balzano). Other historians
claim that ‘balzan’ refers to a Sicilian tax collector
that could have come to Malta to collect taxes for his Sicilian
feudal master. This tax collector could have resided in Balzan
thus giving the village its present name.
Timeline
| Early
15th Century |
First
dwellers arrive in Balzan |
| 1st
February 1575 |
Balzan
residents present a petition to Mons. Duzina, appealing
to have their village become a separate parish. |
| 14th
August 1655 |
Balzan
becomes a separate parish. On that day, Bishop Balaguer
gives permission for the building of a new parish church
in Balzan. The first parish priest was Fr.Adriano Zarb. |
| 26th
December 1669 |
The
foundation stone of the new parish church is laid, by
Parish Priest Dominic Ellul. |
| 23rd
January 1695 |
Bishop
Cocco Palmieri blesses the completed church, and in 1781
Bishop Labini consecrated it. |
| 1868 |
The
church is given its titular statue, of the Annunciation
of Our Lady, completed by Master Salvu Dimech. |
| 1890 |
The
Annunciation Philharmonic Society is formed. |
| 22nd
October 1903 |
6
people die among 42 injured in an explosion while fireworks
were being made in the old premises of the Annunciation
Philharmonic Society |
| 1920 |
St.
Gabriel Band Club is established. |
| 3rd
May 1954 |
Queen
Elizabeth II visits Balzan. |
| 1965 |
Village
feast starts being held in summer instead of its actual
day due to harsh weather conditions which had often spoilt
external festivities held in March. |
| 1923 |
MUSEUM
is founded in Balzan. |
| 1940 |
After
the Supreme Courts were hit in an air bombing attack,
the courts are transferred from Valletta to Balzan. Hearings
took place in the building which today houses Balzan Local
Council, among other government offices. |
| 1940-1943 |
During
the second world war Balzan housed many refugees coming
from Valletta and the Cottonera area. Refugees flooded
in with nothing but a few clothes on a horse-driven cart
pleading Balzan residents to show mercy and take them
into their dwellings. The population doubled in size! |
| 1948 |
Balzan
Parish Church receives its big bell. Many residents gathered
to see it being hauled up into the belfry. |
| 1965 |
Prime
Minister G. Borg Olivier visits Balzan on the occasion
of the 75th anniversary since the foundation of the Annunciation
Philharmonic Society. |
| 1993 |
The
first local council is formed. |
| 16th
October 1994 |
Balzan
Youth Centre is founded. |
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