LOUIS SHICKLUNA
Louis Scicluna was born in June 1808 to Joseph a dockyard worker and Therese, both from Isla. From a young age Louis showed he was not interested very much in school, and was more inclined towards building boats instead. He left Malta very young and emigrated to the US before moving north and settling in Canada.
In Canada he changed his surname to Shickluna to make it sound more English. He spent a lot of time observing sea craft that worked in the region, and after some time he opened a shipyard in St Catherine, in Welland. From 1836 Louis began a successful career, thanks to the fact that a man-made waterway, was being done, that allowed ships to bypass the Niagara Falls on their way to the Great Lakes. Shickluna’ s business prospered and out of the 2000 strong workforce that lived in St Catherine’s, 300 worked for him at the shipyard. Competing with 2 other shipyards in the neighbourhood, he still managed to get substantial orders. Louis was a big-hearted man and made great contributions to St Catherine’s community, and was considered to be a great benefactor. He also provided work to runaway slaves from America. His products were of superior quality, lasting longer than others and were always in demand.
His private life on the other hand was not that nice, due to the fact that he lost 2 wives and remarried a 3rd time then in 1858 to Mary Ann Dunn. He returned to Malta twice, and on both occasions, he was given a warm welcome. He died peacefully at the age of 71 in 1881. Shickluna is remembered in the streets and sites named after him. He is also considered as an important personage in the maritime history of Canada.
