On 11 March 1923, Agatha Barbara was born in Żabbar, the eldest daughter and second of nine children. Her rise was not from some elite or aristocratic background. She came from a large working family, was educated in state schools, and started out as a teacher during the Second World War. From that starting point, she would go on to become one of the most important figures in post-war Maltese politics. She entered politics in 1946 when she joined the Malta Labour Party. Malta