01/06/2026
📍“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭” – 𝐋-𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐣𝐚 𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐥-𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐥-𝐊𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐥𝐢
Il-binja magħrufa llum bħala l-uffiċċji tal-Kunsill Lokali ta’ Bormla għandha storja li tmur lura għas-seklu 19.
Is-Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home f’Bormla nfetaħ l-ewwel darba fl-𝟏𝟖𝟖𝟐 f’dar mikrija fi Strada Cospicua. Madankollu, sentejn wara, fl-𝟏𝟖𝟖𝟒 iċ-ċentru ġie trasferit lejn il-proprjetà fuq Santa Margherita, li bdiet tkun magħrufa bħala “𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕”.
Dan il-post malajr kiseb reputazzjoni tajba ħafna bħala ċentru ta’ rikreazzjoni għas-membri tas-servizzi Brittaniċi.
“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕” serva bħala: sala għall-kunċerti, post għal laqgħat reliġjużi u sekulari kif ukoll ċentru għal attivitajiet u passatempi ta’ kuljum.𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕 kien jintuża wkoll bħala club tas-St George’s.
Karatteristika importanti li għadha tidher sal-lum hija l-bitħa miftuħa tiegħu, li kienet u tibqa’ element distintiv tal-binja.
Matul is-snin, il-post kien ukoll marbut mal-ħidma tal-kappillan Metodista navali 𝐈𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐬, li kien figura ċentrali fil-ħajja spiritwali u soċjali ta’ min kien jattendi hemmhekk.
Il-ħajja f’𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕 kienet tvarja ħafna skont il-moviment tal-flotta, u kienet tinkludi attivitajiet ta’ kuljum, laqgħat, u anke ħarġiet.
Madankollu, matul it-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija, iż-żona ta’ Santa Margherita kienet fil-qalba tal-attakki, u l-binja ġarrbet ħsarat kbar, li wasslu għat-tmiem ta’ din il-fażi vibranti tal-istorja tagħha.
Illum, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕 jibqa’ xhieda importanti tal-istorja soċjali, militari u komunitarja tal-Belt Cospicua.
📍 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕 – 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒄 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒂 𝑯𝒊𝒍𝒍
The building that today houses the Bormla Local Council offices has a history dating back to the 19th century.
The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home in Cospicua first opened in 𝟏𝟖𝟖𝟐 in a rented house in Strada Cospicua. However, in 𝟏𝟖𝟖𝟒 the centre was relocated to the property on Santa Margherita Hill, which became known as “𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕”.
It quickly gained a strong reputation as a recreation centre for British servicemen.𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕 was also used as a club for St George’s.
“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕” served as: a concert hall, a venue for religious and secular gatherings
and a centre for daily leisure and social activities.
A key feature that still exists today is its open courtyard, which remains a distinctive architectural and social element of the building.
During the interwar years, the site was closely associated with the work of Naval Methodist Chaplain 𝐈𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐬, who played a central role in the spiritual and community life there.
Life at 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕 varied with the movement of the fleet and included regular activities, meetings, and organised outings.
However, during World War II, the Santa Margherita area was heavily targeted and the building suffered significant damage, bringing this vibrant chapter to an end.
Today, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕 remains an important reminder of the social, military, and community history of Cospicua.
