English: A facinating picture of the state of Maltese, or to be exact, lower class Valletta citizens at the start of the 20th century. The photographer is standing with his back to St Sebastian Street. The street is Bull Street. it was known as Strada Bicceria then, as the building n the right background is the slaughterhouse built by the Knights (today's Triq il-Gendus).

The street visible immidiatly on the left is St Anne street, The next corner, where is visible a lantern on the left and a bulb fixture on the right is Steps Street. Further up at the next fixture is Eagle Street. The few steps visble take you up to St Christopher street, at the top of which is a naval officer in all white uniform observing the situation.

Details: the little girl, third from the left: she is barefoot, grime faced, dishevelled hair and wearing a much stained dress. She is totally focused on something else and her sharp look tells it all. What or who is the centre of so much attention?

The rest of the group is a tell tale of total human degradation. Apart of two dubious characters wearing a jacket, hat and shoes, the rest are mainly barefoot, wearing rough cotton dresses and canvas trousers. From the balconies 3 different faces can be spotted peeking down, with a child held on.

We are in the bowels of the City, the dominion of the lower classes, few outsiders feel or have the need to venture down here.

Of the puppets on the organ, the one on the left is wearing a spanish soldier costume. The girl in the middle of the pic is totally engrossed watching the puppets and the picture of the two ladies stuck to the organ side.

Two persons have been caught napping. On the middle right stand two seller boys. The first needs urgent sewing and patching to the behind of his trousers. In his wooden tray, there are items wrapped in printed paper and tied in string. Next to him stands a newspaper boy.

Picture courtesy of Bertrand Sant. Description courtesy of Joseph Piccinino, Malta Vintage History