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Title: Baron
Title in succession: 9th
Date created: 1737
Grant by: Grandmaster Ramon Despuig
Granted To: Saverio Gatto
Rep: Kitson Attard Montalto
Remainder to: his descendants in perpetuity each having the right to
nominate a successor;
in default of nomination to the first born male descendant
and in the absence of a male the first born female descendant.
Members of the clergy are precluded.
Present Holder: Dr. and Maria Angela Kitson Attard-Montalto
Antonia Moscati Gatto 3rd Baroness of Benwarrad (1850)
Married Count Sir Paolo Parisio and second marriage to
Giuseppe de Piro and became Baroness of Budaq.
Created 18 August
1737 by Grandmaster Ramon Despuig. Present Baroness
Maria Angela Kitson Attard Montalto, 8th Baronness of Benwarrad.
Saverio
Gatto, 1st Baron of Benwarrad.
The Fief of Benwarrad (originally Benuarrat)
was granted to the Attardo , d’Alagona families before 1360, Pellegrino 1361;
Vaccaro 1398; Nava 1472; Bordino 1510;
d’Armenia 1514; Surdo 1559, and the present holders in 1737, the Gatto
family.
Fiefs were often bought, sold, or became
extinct and re-granted by a Sovereign of Malta and Sicily.
Saverio Gatto was Created a Baron di
Benwarrad on the 18th of August, 1737 by Grand Master Despuig ,with
remainder of “ his descendants in perpetuity , each having the right to nominate
a successor, in default of nomination to the first born male descendant, and in
absence of male issue, then to the first born female descendant.
Members of the clergy are precluded from
succession by primogeniture.
The Barony of Benwarrad has an interesting
history, passing thru several families, from Gatto , Moscati, Montalto de Ribera
to the present holders of Attard-Montalto.
There were many heiress, who succeeded to
this title such Paola Gatto, the 2nd Baroness, who married to
Emanuele Moscati-Cassia, Antonia Moscati-Gatto, the 3rd Baroness, who
married twice, firstly to Count Sir Paolo Parisio G.C.M.G., and secondly to Sir
Guiseppe Maria de Piro G.C.M.G. (see picture above), 5th Baron di Budaq, both marriages
failed producing an heir.
The title moved to Antonia’s first cousin,
Paolo Montalto de Ribera, who was also Baron di San Paolino. Baron Paolo was
succeeded by his daughter, Maria Antonia.
Maria Antonia , the 5th Baroness
marrying in 1831 to Dr Guiseppe Ivo Attard M.D.
The Attard-Montalto, held many important
posts in Malta, and currently hold key positions still today.
The present Holder is Maria Angela
Attard-Montalto, the 8th Baroness, who married in 1948 to Lt Frank
Kitson R.N, and have three children.
Once again the title will pass into another
family , this time an English family.
Slowly the Maltese Noble surnames
will phase out , with just timely reminders of the past.
A past we should all be proud of, but to date not appreciated, and maybe
even some day ,
Maltese Nobility will be no more. Who knows?.
Family tree -
Genealogist Count Charles Said Vassallo
Guglielmo
de Ribera, 3rd Barone di San Paolino, married 1702
to Contessa
Caterina Vernagallo, with
issue;
1. Ferdinand de Ribera, 4th
Barone di San Paolino, married 1729 to Eugenia
dei Marchesi de Piro, with issue.
1.1. Guido de Ribera, 5th
Barone di San Paolino,
married 1762 to Caterina Dingli, and dsp.
1.2. Anna de Ribera,
married 1750 to Francesco Maria Montalto,
with issue.
1.2.1. Chev. Alberto Montalto de Ribera, 6th
Barone di San Paolino,
married 1774 to Maria Antonia
Gatto, with issue
1.2.1.1.
Francesco Saverio Montalto de Ribera, Baroncino
di San Paolino,
(1778-1837), married 1802 to Maria Teresa Biagio, with issue
1.2.1.1.1. Vincenzo Montalto de Ribera, dunm.
1.2.1.1.2. Paolo Montalto de Ribera, dunm.
1.2.1.1.3. Calcedonio Montalto de Ribera, dunm.
1.2.1.1.4. Maria Antonia Montalto de Ribera, married 1830 to Sir
Nicolo Sceberras Bologna, 5th Count of Catena,
and dsp.
1.2.1. 2. Paolo Montalto de Ribera, 4th
Baron di Benwarrad, 7th Barone di San Paolino
, Married 1806 to Graziulla
Carbott (Grua) ,
with issue
1.2.1.2.1. Vincenzo Montalto de Ribera, Baroncino
di San Paolino, dunm.
1.2.1.2.2.2. Maria Antonia Montalto de Ribera, (died 1878), 5th
Baroness of Benwarrad, 8th Baronessa di San Paolino,
Married 1831 to Dr. Giuseppe
Attard, M.D.,
with issue.
1.2.1.2.2.2.1
Angiolino Attard Montalto, (1836-92), 6th Baron of Benwarrad, 8th Barone di
San Paolino married 1869 to Angelica dei Conti Manduca,
with issue
1.2.1.2.2.2.1.1.
Giuseppe Attard Montalto, (1870-1935), 7th Baron of Benwarrad, 9th
Barone di San Paolino, married 1926 to Carolina dei
Conti Manduca, with issue
1.2.1.2.2.2.1.1.1.
Maria Angela Attard Montalto, (1927-2001), 8th Baroness of Benwarrad,
married 1948 to Lieut. Frank Gordon Kitson, RN., with issue
1.2.1.2.2.2.1.1.1.1. Dr Michael Kitson Attard Montalto,
M.B., B.S. (1949- , 9th Baron of Benwarrad, PRIMOGENIAL DESCENDANT OF
SAVERIO GATTO , Married 1973 to Susan Partridge, with issue.
1.2.1.2.2.2.1.1.1.1.1.
Paul Kitson Attard Montalto,(1978-, married.
1.2.1.2.2.2.1.1.1.1.2.
David Kitson (1980-
1.2.1.2.2.2.1.1.1.1.3.
Anna Louise Kitson (1976-
1.2.1.2.2.2.1.1.1.1.4.
Sara Kitson (1982-
1.2.1.2.2.2.1.1.1.2.
Philip Kitson, B.Sc. (Hons), AMI.Mech. (1960-, Married 1985 To Diane Hipperson
1.2.1.2.2.2.1.1.1.3.
Susan Maria Kitson, (1950-, married 1977 to Martin Lee, with issue
1.2.1.2.2.2.1.1.1.3.1.
Anthony Lee, (1979-
1.2.1.2.2.2.1.1.1.3.2.
Louise Lee, (1982-
1.2.1.2.2.2.2.
Paolino Attard Montalto (c 1875, married 1896 to Annette
Manduca, with issue
1.2.1.2.2.2.2.1.
Dr Angiolino Attard Montalto M.D (c 1898-, married Jesy Attard Montalto, with
issue.
1.2.1.2.2.2.2.1.1.
Mavina Attard Montalto, married Major Bernard Portelli
1.2.1.2.2.2.2.1.2.
Josie Attard Montalto, 12th (recte: 11th) Baron di San Paolino-(died
2002), Married Myriam
Despott, with issue
1.2.1.2.2.2.2.1.2.1.
Dr John Attard Montalto LL.D, Member of the European Parliament, 13th (recte
12th) Baron di San Paolino, married (1),(div) Doreen Hoare, Married (2) 2004
to Rose Farrugia , with issue.
Kindly
e-mail me if there any errors or corrections to be made.
Information contained in these pages are purely
for historical and genealogy use only. No part of this site may be reproduced in
part or in whole without the instructions of the owners
of this site.
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