CASA ROCCA PICCOLA
CASA ROCCA PICCOLA
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
Our Team
Our Team
Nicholas & Frances de Piro
Nicholas & Frances de Piro
Nicholas de Piro with his wife Frances (Ding) were the first members of the Maltese aristocracy to open their house to the public. Today Nicholas and his wife usually host the Private Tours. Nicholas is busy with research projects involving the de Piro Archives and writing books on Maltese history. He is the author of many books including Lost Letters (with Kenneth Zammit Tabona and others); The International Dictionary of Artists who Painted Malta; Picking Through The Stones, Notions, Nostalgia and Nonsense; Valletta; Mdina; The Temple of the Knights of Malta; Malta, Influence and Patronage; The Sedan Chair in Malta; Costume in Malta; (contributor and joint-editor with Vicki Ann Cremona); The Quality of Malta; The Innocence of Ina and The National Portrait Gallery of Malta.
Caroline
Caroline
Costume Curator
Caroline Tonna is an art and dress historian. She holds Bachelor degrees, in Anthropology and in Art and Art History from the University of Malta. She has also obtained a Master of Arts degree in Art History, specialising in 19th century dress history and photography. Since 2011, she has been a volunteer at Casa Rocca Piccola as curator of the extraordinary
collection of costume and lace. She also helped out Marquis Nicolas de Piro to produce and
publish the book, Ladies of Malta in Extravagant & Spectacular Maltese Lace (2013).
Sarah
Sarah
Restorer
Sarah Yeomans Gafa is a conservator-restorer of fine arts. She has obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Conservation and Restoration from the University of Malta, as well as an MA in Heritage Management from the University of Birmingham. In 2008, she was involved in the frescoes’ conservation project at Basilica Santa Anastasia in Verona, Italy. Being such an art and heritage enthusiast, Sarah enjoys to work at Casa Rocca Piccola, where she conserved various important artefacts, such as paintings, sculptures and gilt objects.
Amelia
Amelia
Housekeeper
Amelia runs our housekeeping operation which keeps Casa Rocca Piccola sparkling clean. With thousands of objects to clean many of which require delicate care she is an indispensable part of the team. Amelia also takes care of all the rooms of our B&B, as well as preparing the breakfast in our garden.
Our Guides
Our Guides
Sarah
Sarah
Sarah is a young tour guide with a passion for culture and history. Over the years she has made it her personal task to collect interesting anecdotes regarding famous events and characters, some of which you might encounter at Casa Rocca Piccola. There is always a twist to what we think is history!
Joanne
Joanne
Joanne has a passion for History and finds herself at home in the historic surroundings of Casa Rocca Piccola. She enjoys re-enactment particularly of the medieval period and is also a co-organiser for cultural events. When not giving tours, she is a Secretary within a private company.
Nicholas
Nicholas
Nicholas is training to be an architect and is the current president of the Institution of Civil Engineers Student Chapter at the University of Malta. He lives in the Maltese city of Mdina and being born into an aristocratic clan himself he feels very at home in Casa Rocca Piccola and is a fount of anecdotal information about our history and traditions.
Antonio
Antonio
Antonio has recently graduated in History of Art and Archaeology from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He is now in Malta to pursue a career in Art Historical research, focusing on seventeenth- and eighteenth-century painting and patronage, with a special interest in Caravaggio’s works and his followers’. In addition to being a Baroque art addicted, he honours his Sicilian heritage by being a fervid cook and an enthusiastic food-a-holic.
Erika
Erika
Erika is a third year student at the University of Malta, reading for a degree in History of Art.
She enjoys reading, writing, drawing and has recently started exploring photography. She has a keen interest in history, art and literature and is always eager to share the uniqueness of Maltese culture with new people.
Patricia
Patricia
"Age has no limits when one loves life." Patricia loves Valletta, it is steeped in history and Casa Rocca Piccola is a living example. She looks forward to her guiding at this Baroque family home because it gives her the opportunity of sharing her knowledge with the many visitors who are charmed by its magic. The opportunity, also, for a chat with its courteous owners, the De Piro family.
David
David
David is a Maltese student in Medical Physics at the University of Malta. His passions include collecting antiques, playing the piano, poetry and studying Maltese history.
He loves Casa Rocca because he believes that it resembles a time machine, a way back to the fascinating times of the past.
