Manuel Dimech was born on Christmas Day (December 25), 1860, at St John Street, Valletta, Malta, and baptised at the church of St Paul Shipwreck, Valletta. His family was poor and lived in a single room that was part of a common tenement house with over sixty people. His ancestors on his father's side were genuine artistic sculptors, though up till Dimech's birth his family had fallen on difficult times. During his childhood, Dimech's family moved residence twice, leaving Valletta for Qormi (today Santa Venera), and then moving to Msida. His father tried hard to make ends meet, but his weak health prevented any success in this endeavour. He died at the age of 37, leaving his widow to care for their ten young children. His mother, Evangelista, was married before, to Salvatore Testa, and they had five children, Carmela, Marikarm, Guza, Gejtu and Pietro. Evangelista and Karmenu's other children were, Rozina, Antonia, Spiridione, Neriku, Victoria, Arturo, and another son.
<a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Lance_Anthony" title="User:Lance Anthony">Lance Anthony</a>
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