Sir Anthony Mamo

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Sir Anthony Mamo was Chief Justice, Governor-General and first President of the Republic of Malta.

Sir Anthony was born in Birkirkara on 8 January 1909 and educated at the Archbishop’s Seminary and the Malta University where he graduated BA (1931) and LL.D (1934). As the first student in the course, he was awarded the Government travelling scholarship and the Bugeja scholarship which enabled him to take short courses at London University and the University of Perugia.

After joining the public service, Sir Anthony found himself working on a revised edition of all the Laws of Malta under the chairmanship of Judge William Harding in 1936. In 1942, Mamo joined the attorney-general's office as crown councel. By 1955, he had advanced to the post of deputy attorney general, a position he held until 1956. He served as chief legal adviser under four prime ministers – Sir Paul Boffa, Dr Enrico Mizzi, Dr Ġorġ Borg Olivier and Dom Mintoff.

Sir Anthony was professor of criminal law at the University of Malta (1943-57) and for many years served as a member of the Senate and president of the University Council. For his contribution to higher education, the University conferred on him the degree of D. Litt (honoris causa) in 1966.

During this period of his illustrious career, Mamo was awarded various high ranking honours: the OBE (1955), the appointment as Honorary Queen’s Councel (1957), the nomination of knight of grace of the Venerabel Order of St John (1962) and knight bachelor (1960).

In 1957 Mamo was appointed Chief Justice and president of the court of appeal. In 1964 be became the first president of the constitutional court. Mamo was appointed the first president of the court of criminal appeals in 1967.

In 1962 Sir Anthony was appointed acting governor pending the arrival of the new British governor. In 1971 he was appointed governor general, the first and only Maltese citizen to hold that office. Mamo was unanimously elected by the Maltese Parliament the country’s first President when Malta was declared a Republic in 1974.

In 1993 Sir Anthony was awarded the honour of ‘Sieħeb il-Ġieħ’, the highest honour in the Order of Ġieħ ir-Repubblika.

Sir Anthony Mamo passed away at the age of 99. He was married to Margaret Agius (popularly known as 'Lady Mamo') and they had two daughters, Josephine and Monica, and a son, John.