Exiles Beach

Judge Victor Caruana Colombo (The Sunday Times, September 9) has it from his grandfather that the Exiles beach was so called as it was regularly used by the refugees from the Russian revolution.

As far as I know this beach got its name as it was regularly used for water sports and leisure swimming by members of the Exiles Club from about the beginning of the 20th century. The Exiles Club was a sports and social club for foreign staff members of the Eastern Telegraph Company (subsequently Cable & Wireless Ltd).

As the great majority of these employees served in the company's stations for tours of duty lasting up to three years, there was a branch of the club in all the stations.

The ETC originally had its Telegraph Office in Valletta but in the early 1900s the office was moved to St George's (Paceville) and its British staff were lodged in Sliema, hence the choice of beach for their swimming activities.