Anthony Mamo

His Excellency
Sir Anthony Mamo
KUOM OBE QC
His Excellency Sir Anthony Mamo KUOM OBE QC
1st President of Malta
	In office; 13 December 1974 – 27 December 1976
Prime Minister	Dom Mintoff
Preceded by	Elizabeth II ; as Queen of Malta
Succeeded by	Anton Buttigieg
2nd Governor General of Malta
	In office; 22 June 1971 – 13 December 1974
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Dom Mintoff
Preceded by	Maurice Dorman
Succeeded by	Position abolished (Himself as President of Malta)
Chief Justice of Malta
	In office; 1957–1971
Preceded by	Luigi Camilleri
Succeeded by	John Cremona
Personal details
Born	9 January 1909; Birkirkara, Malta
Died	1 May 2008 (aged 99); Mosta, Malta
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Margaret Agius (m. 1939; died 2002)
Children	3
Alma mater	University of Malta

Sir Anthony Joseph Mamo, KUOM OBE QC (9 January 1909 – 1 May 2008) was the first president of Malta and previously served as the last Governor-General of the State of Malta before the country became a republic. He was also the first Maltese citizen to be appointed Governor-General, and before independence, briefly served as acting Governor.

Biography

Mamo was born in the town of Birkirkara, the son of Joseph Mamo and Carla Brincat. He was educated at the University of Malta where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1931 and a law degree in 1934.

Sir Anthony had been in private practice as an advocate for just over a year when he made the Public Service his career. In October 1936, he was appointed member of the Commission which, under the chairmanship of Judge Harding, was entrusted with the task of preparing a revised edition of all the Laws of Malta. This task took six years to complete.^[1] He was in private practice a year before joining the civil service. He served as Crown Counsel from 1942 and later became attorney general.^[2]

In the meantime the Second World War broke out and, although the commission's work was carried on, Sir Anthony, like so many others, gave his services for refugee work and the welfare of those hit by war.^[1]

Mamo was never involved directly in politics. He was appointed as Chief Justice of Malta in 1957 where he served until 1971 when he was appointed as Governor-General, the first Maltese to hold that office, serving until 13 December 1974, when Malta was proclaimed a republic. He served as president from that date until he was succeeded by Anton Buttigieg on 27 December 1976.^[2] He was given knighthood in 1959.^[1]

Mamo was married to Lady Margaret (née Agius) from 1939 until her death in 2002. They had three children; Josephine (married to Victor E. Tortell), Monica (married to George Pisani) and John (married to Tessa née' Scicluna).

Mamo died on 1 May 2008 at the age of 99, at Casa Arkati in Mosta.^[3]^[2] An oncology center in Mater Dei Hospital was christened under his name as the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre^[4]

The house where Anthony Mamo was born. A plaque commemorates this on the facade
Memorial monument found at the back of St Helen's Basilica, Birkirkara

Honours

Malta : Companion of Honour of the National Order of Merit (06.04.90) by right as a former President of Malta^[2]
Commonwealth of Nations :
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (1955),
- Knight Bachelor (1957)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Sir Anthony J. Mamo". www.gov.mt. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Sir Anthony Mamo: State funeral tomorrow; The Times of Malta, 1 May 2008
^ Malta's first President dies aged 99 Archived 11 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Times of Malta, 2 May 2008
^ "Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre". deputyprimeminister.gov.mt. Retrieved 17 September 2021.

Government offices
Preceded by Sir Maurice Dorman	Governor-General of Malta 1971–1974	Succeeded by Position abolished
Political offices
Preceded by Elizabeth II (as Queen of Malta)	President of Malta 1974–1976	Succeeded by Anton Buttigieg