Enough Trouble

Casa Rocca Piccola is a castle in Malta. It has had tenants since the 17th century. Amongst Casa Rocca Piccola’s tenants have been the following notable figures:-

Monsignor Fra Gaspare Gori Mancini of Siena. Bishop of Malta from 1722 to 1728 during the reign of Grand Master de Vilhena. He is buried in the Conventual Church of St. John recently renamed the ‘Co-Cathedral’. The tabernacle door and altar front with a medallion depicting the martyrdom of St. Catherine in the Chapel of Italy of the same Church were donated by him but later stolen by Napoleon.

Gio Francesco 2nd Count Sant. He married Chiara Bonici Platamone Cassia 7th Baroness of Ghariexem and Tabia. Gio Francesco purchased most of the property in this block which included Casa Rocca Grande (now split into two: Palazzo Messina and Palazzo Marina). He led the Maltese aristocracy in the burning of their patents of nobility during the French occupation.

Francesco Sant Cassia, 6th Count Sant. He was only 13 years old when he inherited his father. Commissioned in the King’s Own Malta Regiment of Militia. He married Maria Manduca and then, on her demise, her sister Concettina, both daughters of the Count of Mont’Alto. He also entertained King George V to lunch at his house at St Paul’s Bay. He was one of the first Maltese owner-drivers of a car and he even owned his own bus.

Commendatore Antonio Cassar Torreggiani O.B.E. Founder of The National Bank of Malta. He also commissioned the ‘R.M.S. Knight of Malta’ which, until she was requisitioned for war service, was the principal passenger transport vessel to the Italian mainland.

References

• Casa Rocca Piccola web site
• De Piro D'Amico Inguanez, Marquis Nicholas., Family archives.