Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine from 1894 to 1901 as the wife of Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse and Consort of the Head of the House of Romanov as the wife of Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia from 1924 until her death. She was the daughter of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia.

Common men's attire and belts

Men of the popular classes wore baggy trousers and flannel shirts, often cinched at the waist with a colorful terha, a cotton belt measuring three to four yards in length.

Traditional ghonnella headwear worn outdoors

The ghonnella was a traditional black hooded cloak stiffened with whalebone that women of all classes wore outdoors to cover themselves completely.

Growth of local band clubs

Band clubs became central to Maltese social life, performing in streets and at parish festivals, which grew into major events involving processions and elaborate outdoor entertainment. By the late 19th century, these clubs were well-established, with brass bands playing to large crowds.

Traditional Maltese folk instruments

Common people played traditional instruments such as the zaqq (bagpipe), tambourine, rabbaba, and zafzafa (friction drum) during the 19th century. These wooden and animal-skin instruments were easier and cheaper to make than brass ones used for official occasions.

High cost of horse carriage travel

Traveling by horse carriage from Valletta to Mdina took 2.5 to 3 hours and cost between 7 and 8 shillings.

Night travel by mule-cart

For long-distance village travel, such as from Luqa to Mellieha, people used mule-carts and often started their journey at two in the morning to arrive by dawn.

Housing and Sleeping Conditions

Poor families often shared just one or two rooms, frequently sleeping on straw, and rural homes often included ground-floor quarters for animals.

School Attendance Patterns

School attendance was voluntary and many parents withdrew their children to work early, as evidenced by 43,000 children being withdrawn from school between 1908 and 1916.

High Daily Bread Consumption

Working-class families relied heavily on bread, with consumption reaching 4 to 5 pounds per person daily by 1877. This bread, often made from wheat and barley, was their main staple.

Minestra as Daily Evening Fare

Peasant families typically ate a hot evening meal of minestra, a thick vegetable soup strengthened with oil or grated cheese. They rarely consumed butcher meat, reserving it for holidays.

Bread as the daily staple

Bread was the primary staple for the poor, with daily consumption rising to 4 or 5 pounds per person by 1877, despite high prices.

Daily wages for Maltese laborers

In the late nineteenth century, workers typically earned between 10d. and 2s. 6d. per day, while boatmen charged ninepence to row passengers to ships.

Harbour labour roles doubled in size

Between 1871 and 1881, the number of porters, carriers, and coalheavers increased by 100 percent to support the harbour's booming trade.

Artisan daily earnings were limited

Skilled artisans like blacksmiths, carpenters, and sail-makers rarely earned more than seventy-five cents per day.