From Maldon to Malden

Dear Malden Residents,

One thing I have come to appreciate since becoming Mayor is the great history that is part of our city. From being one of the earliest colonies to declare independence to being the home of Bell Rock Cemetery where Malden’s Revolutionary War heroes rest, Malden claims a very proud history.

This was no more evident than last week when we welcomed the Choir of St. Mary’s from our sister city, Maldon, England. The Choir, led by their esteemed Director Colin Baldy, is highly regarded in both the UK and around the world. In addition to enjoying their musical talents, we were also able to share our culture and historical connection. 

What was even more impressive than having our sister city represented here in our community was the outpouring of support from our residents. St. Paul’s Church Parish has worked for nearly a year to make this week possible and the dedicated volunteers who worked in the planning or in opening up their homes to our guests have made us all proud.

From hosting a welcoming dinner at Anthony’s Restaurant to planning trips to Gloucester and the North End, the Hospitality Committee, as they have become known, treated our visitors with great care. However, I think our guests were most impressed with a trolley ride through Malden which included a tour of the Public Library, Malden High School, and the Davenport Estates. Another highlight was the publication of Malden resident and author Inna Babitskaya’s book written especially for the occasion called “From Maldon to Malden.”

Our community was surely rewarded with the Choir’s outstanding concert on Friday night. The Choir performed a number of songs including those of Benjamin Britten who is considered the greatest composer in the UK. My favorite moment came when I heard 15-year-old William Foster play the organ. He was magnificent and deserving of the standing ovation he received.

As the Choir prepared to leave our city to head back to Maldon, England, I paused and reflected once again on how privileged I was to be Mayor while they were here, but more importantly how fortunate I was to be working alongside such a dedicated group of residents who represented our city well.

To learn more about the Choir, please visit www.stmaryschoir.org.uk and to order a copy of the book From Maldon to Malden, please email Inna Babitskaya at innaab@yahoo.com.