Many have seen the iconic photo of former Prime Minister George Borg Olivier holding up the Constitutional documents when Malta gained independence from Britain on September 21, 1964. But what was it like to live the moment? Three people share their memories with Claudia Calleja.

Frank Attard

Fifty years ago today, at 4.30pm, photographer Frank Attard was preparing to capture the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate Malta’s independence at The Palace in Valletta.

“Prince Philip unveiled it. As soon as he pulled the ribbon, the Maltese flag fell to the ground. When I later went to develop the photos I realised I had captured Borg Olivier picking up the flag. That photo is very dear to me...,” Mr Attard, 86, chuckles.

Back then he worked with Times of Malta and was one of the photographers covering the Independence Day celebrations.

He also photographed the rehearsals and various official meetings leading up to the big day.

One of the events was when Governor-General Designate, Sir Maurice Dorman, visited Dr Borg Olivier at his Sliema house. After he took the photo Mr Attard was about the catch the bus back to Valletta. But Dr Borg Olivier insisted on giving him a lift.

I prayed to God that my camera would work well

“He dropped me off right in front of the main door. I’ll never forget that,” he recalls.

Just before midnight of September 20, Mr Attard took his position by the flagpole where the British flag was lowered and, at the stroke of midnight, the Maltese flag was hoisted.

“It was so emotional. The crowd started shouting: ‘Viva Malta’. A shiver ran down my spine,” he says, adding: “At the time about three-quarters of the population accepted the country’s independence, even though there were those who did not and are only accepting it now. Personally, to me, it was important to be leading our own country and, since then, the country did very well.”

Another emotional moment was when Prince Philip handed the Constitutional documents to Dr Borg Olivier at the Independence Arena in Floriana, which he then waved to the crowd.

“It was so emotional... I prayed to God that my camera would work well.”

Vincent Tabone

The clock had just struck midnight when the Maltese flag was hoisted, replacing the Union Jack, in Floriana’s Independence Arena where 100,000 people started chanting: “Viva Malta Indipendenti.”

Among the crowd, 16-year-old Vincent Tabone was intoxicated by the overwhelming feeling of joy, national pride and unity.

“It was just unbelievable. The feeling in the crowd was contagious. Everybody there was so happy. Many had been against independence and, when this moment arrived, we were relieved that in our lifetime we were seeing the birth of our nation. We felt so proud. I can still hear the thundering shouts,” Mr Tabone, 66, recalls.

The feeling intensified even further when the Maltese national anthem was played.

“It was the birth. Officially that was the first time it was being played with Malta as an independent State,” he says.

We were relieved that in our lifetime we were seeing the birth of our nation

His father, [President Emeritus] Ċensu Tabone had just participated in the State dinner but he was “lapping it up in the crowd”.

“Papa was general secretary of the Nationalist Party at the time,” he says, thinking back to the events that led up to that moment.

After the May 1964 referendum for independence, his father accompanied Dr Borg Olivier to London to obtain independence.

“I remember the delegation arrive at Luqa airport after the British government decided to grant Malta its independence and each member of the delegation was given a garland of flowers,” he says. Eventually, September 21 was chosen to be the historic day.

“When the day arrived, Floriana and Valletta were beautifully decorated. Portes des Bombes was lit. Today it’s a common thing but, back then, it was not. All the trees lining the road towards Floriana were lit up with fairy lights. It was beautiful,” he says, going on to map out, in detail, the order of the celebrations.

“I will never forget the night of September 20 and 21, 1964. I thank the Lord I was present on such a unique occasion,” he says.

“Thus started our successful road which saw Malta flourish, having the least number of unemployed and the least number of emigrants by the end of that legislature... I’m proud to state that my father was minister for labour and migration when these results were achieved.”

Joan Barbara

Thirty-four-year-old Joan Barbara and her friends ran through the streets of busy Valletta and playfully chased the Archbishop’s car that was heading towards the Independence Day celebrations.

“That’s the only vivid memory I have of the day: me running and laughing with a group of people. We were running after the car of the Archbishop making a racket and the police were running after us – not in a serious way. Then I lost my shoe,” recalls Ms Barbara, now 84.

She also remembers getting a glimpse of Dr Borg Olivier – who she had met personally when he visited Malta House in London where she worked. “He was such a gentleman,” she says.

Back then, Ms Barbara lived in England and came to Malta for Independence Day. At the time her sister, Agatha Barbara, was the shadow education minister.

“We [the Malta Labour Party] were in Opposition then. We wanted independence but in a different way. At the time three-quarters of the island was still under the British. The actual independence was in 1979 when the HMS London [carrying the last of the British troops] left. That was when we became bosses of our own country,” she says.

We were running after the car of the Archbishop... Then I lost my shoe

Ms Barbara spent over 17 years working in London where she mainly did clerical work. She was there when the island was preparing itself to become independent.

Back in London, the issue was not given much attention, as least, not as far as she recalls. She was a counsellor of the Southwark Borough, was involved in the Maltese Labour Movement UK and was a secretary of the Movement for Colonial Freedom.

“We did not want to be free of the [British] people. I felt one of them. It was about the independence of our country,” she says, echoing the sentiment often expressed by her late sister, Agatha, who went on to become Malta’s first woman Prime Minister and President.

Today Ms Barbara will be collecting a commemorative medal, given by President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, on behalf of her sister.

“At first I thought I should not go since it was not really Malta’s independence. But now, our [Labour] government accepted this, so I will go,” she says, referring to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s call for the day to be celebrated by all Maltese.