About Us

the gauci borda family

 

The Gauci Borda family came into being through the union in marriage of Carmelo Gauci and Maria Borda in the late nineteenth century (circa1886).

 

 mariaborda carmelogauci 
MARIA BORDA CARMELO GAUCI

 

Maria was the daughter of John Baptist aka Patist Borda, from Kalkara, a wealthy business man who operated as a ship chandlers in the busy port of Valletta, an activity that can trace its origins to the mid eighteenth century. His business also diversified in every direction. Carmelo was son of Paolo Gauci and born in Cospicua.

The first generation of Gauci Borda's worked for the Borda firms supplying the British and other navy warships around the time of the Great War - business in Malta always flourished in times of war!

 

gh1890

THE BRITISH NAVY IN THE GRAND HARBOUR AT THE LATE 19TH CENTURY

 

After the war they then branched out on their own away from the Borda family and commenced business as ironmongers in 1918, introducing the Gauci Borda surname as their trade name.

Carmelo Gauci and Maria Borda had 12 children, 3 girls and 9 boys. The eldest son was George (b 1888), he joined his father Carmelo in the business and gradually enrolled all his brothers in the business except for Henry who emigrated to USA Detroit, where he worked in the car industry, and Joseph who joined the merchant Navy.

Business was done from their stores at Ta' Liesse Hill Valletta and stores at Ta' Xbiex from where ships were supplied with coal.

 

liesse

 TA' LIESSE HILL – A MAJOR BUSINESS HUB AT THE TURN OF THE 20 TH CENTURY

 

As the brothers grew and started getting married, they branched out to other outlets. When their father retired the stores in Valletta were taken over by John, the second eldest brother and 2 of his children Joseph and Paul. Frank, brother of John lent a helping hand in running the business.

George was the brains behind his father’s and later his brothers’ businesses. He kept in touch with the right people to gather information regarding ships coming into Grand Harbour. He had an office base in London, however he paid regular visits to Malta looking for orders. George had two children who died very young.

 

 contract1

 

 

Andrew better known as Andre' was born in 1902. He was one of the youngest among his siblings. Although stared working in the family business from an early age, he formally joined forces with his brother Emmanuel (b. 1900) and opened a retail outlet at 168-169 Merchants Street, Valletta, by a contract signed on the 27th March, 1926.

The first business operated under the trade name of " Gauci Borda & Co. Junior" – being run by the youngest in the family!

 THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT SIGNED BY NOT. SALVATORE CAUCHI  

 

shop1920s

THE RETAIL OUTLET AT 168-169 MERCHANT STREET VALLETTA IN THE MID 1920's

 

Business flourished which led to the two brothers to upgrade their retail outlet in the 1930's. Their success was short lived until the second World War broke out. The shop was destroyed by a German air-raid bombing in 1942, the same air raid that destroyed the Royal Opera House at Strada Reale, Valletta.

 

shop1930s

 THE RETAIL OUTLET AT 168-169 MERCHANT STREET VALLETTA BEFORE WWII

 

In this unfortunate event Andre' converted the sitting room of his home in 284, Fleur de lys Road, in B'Kara, into a temporary retail shop. From there he continued to do business until the war was over.

 

1950

 THE GAUCI BORDA HOME AT 284 FLEUR-DE-LYS ROAD

 

stbaker  The family car at the time was a 1935, 2-door Studebaker. During the war it was confiscated by the British Forces to serve officers. Later its roof was cut off to serve as a means of transport for goods. 
THE GAUCI BORDA FAMILY CAR – THE 1935 STUDEBAKER   

 

After the war Andre' rejoined his brother Emmanuel and together opened a retail shop in 204, Old Bakery Street, Valletta, right opposite St. Mark Street. On the first of January 1953, however they decided to split up their business venture, Manuel keeping the shop in Old Bakery Street, while Andre' went back to the old shop in Merchants Street, once this was rebuilt after the war. Manuel had only one daughter and when he retired the shop was closed down.

 

 andreagauciborda joegauciborda 
 ANDREW GAUCI BORDA
(1902-1981)
 JOE GAUCI BORDA
(1938-2009)

 

Andre' had 3 boys. The eldest Lino, breaking away from the business tradition, took up medicine and became a doctor in 1961, he also served as a member of the Maltese parliament for several years, contesting with the Nationalist Party.

The youngest, Edward, made a name for himself after joining the civil service, for several years serving as director of the Public Lotto and later a permanent secretary in the Ministry of Fishing and Agriculture.

 

 pickwick

It was Joe who continued in his father's foot steps as a trader when at a very young age he opened a shop in St. Anne Street, Floriana. The ''PICK QUICK'' General store. 

He traded in tools and harware, however he was instrumental in introducing kits for motorised planes model – a hobby still in its infancy in the 1950's. He was also one of the first importers of black and white TV sets on the island (Emud).

 AN INVOICE ISSUED IN 1958.  

 

shop1970s

THE RETAIL OUTLET AT 168-169 MERCHANT STREET VALLETTA IN THE LATE 1960's

 

 

 When Andre' retired in the mid 1960's Joe closed the Floriana shop and took over the business in Merchants Street, however he continued with the imports activity of goods concurrently. He concentrated his efforts in finding reliable foreign firms dealing mainly in manufacture and export of hardware, locks and ironmongery. Some of these firms we are still representing locally until this day pickwick1 
   INVOICES FROM 1960's

 

 contract3 contract2 
  TYPICAL RECEIPTS FOR THE RENT PAID FOR THE SHOP OUTLET AT 168-169 MERCHANT STREET VALLETTA.

 

pickwick4

SCICLUNA'S BANK CHEQUES - OUR BANKERS IN THE 1960's & 70's.

 

 pickwick2 In 1985, Joe closed down the retail outlet in Valletta and re-directed the business activity, becoming solely an importer, wholesaler and representative of foreign firms.

The business was transferred to a warehouse in St. Venera, trading as "Firm J. Gauci Borda". The firm specialised mainly in the imports of locks, furniture fittings, hardware and quality hand tools. The business expanded and it now supplies all the establihed hardware stores in Malta and Gozo, offering an effecient delivery service by our sales team. Joe remained in the business almost until his unexpected demise in 2009. The business was than taken over by the husband of one of his daughters, Daniela, where almost 100 years after its establishment still runs as a family business and remaines one of Malta's leading trader in Hardware.

 INVOICES FROM 1980's  

 

© ALL PHOTOS AND WRITTEN TEXT ON THIS SITE ARE THE PROPERTY OF Firm J. GAUCI BORDA.

WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE KIND HELP FROM Dr. LINO GAUCI BORDA M.D. IN COMPILING THE INFORMATION ON THIS SITE.

About usLearn about our company

Our firm has been established locally in the year 1919 by ANDRÉA GAUCI BORDA. In the early 1920's the first retail outlet was established in Valletta at 168-169, Merchant's Street.

Read more

Contact infoOur Location and Phone Numbers

 Firm. J. Gauci Borda
    86/88,  Mill Street, Qormi, Malta
 
 www.jgauciborda.com
 
 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
 +356 21 44 39 30
 
 +356 21 49 27 0