Pegu Club Postcard in 1910
Pegu Club postcard from 1910

Pegu Club (Burmese: ပဲခူးကလပ်) is a recognized heritage site in Yangon, Myanmar, which was a Victorian-style Gentlemen's club founded in 1871 during the British colonization of Burma. The building was built in 1880 and finished in 1882.[1] Pegu Club used to be a place for British officials to spend their time for a drink or two. It was well known because of its signature Pegu Club Cocktail. In southeast Asia, Pegu Club was an equivalent place to the Royal Selangor Club of Kuala Lumpur and The Tanglin Club of Singapore.[2] Rudyard Kipling, as a young newspaperman, visited Pegu Club when he was in Yangon in 1889. Paul Theroux visited Pegu Club in the early 1970s and wrote about it in his book The Great Railway Bazaar.[1] The first phase of the Pegu Club's restoration was completed in 2018.[3]

History & overview

Establishment

Pegu Club was first established in 1880s and it was originally founded in 1871.[4][1] The club was located originally on Ma Naw Hari Street which was called Cheape Road during the colonial times.[5] In 1882, membership exceeded the capacity of the clubhouse and the club moved to the current location at the corner of Pyay, Zagawar and Padonmar Roads, right across from the embassy of Russia in Yangon.[6] The name Pegu Club was mentioned in The Imperial Gazetteer of India of 1909 which officiated the name.[1]

Altered functions

British colonization

During the British occupation of Myanmar, Pegu Club served as a place for the British officers and administrators. According to Rudyard Kipling, who spent his night at Pegu Club during his visit to Yangon, Pegu Club was famously known as the only place in Yangon that sold mutton at that time.[1]

Pegu Club Courtyard
Pegu Club Courtyard Before its Renovation

Japanese era

In 1942, the Imperial Japanese Army took over the country from the British and claimed Pegu Club as its property. Calling the club a "comfort station," Pegu Club became a brothel for the army men. After the country's independence in 1948, the place was abandoned and taken over by the Burmese army (Tatmadaw).[7]

Tatmadaw era

After independence, the military used the compound as a tax office until Myanmar became socialist in 1962 and nationalized the premises. The main building became a pension office while surrounding buildings housed government officials and their families. The compound was then abandoned after the state capital moved to Naypyidaw in 2002.[1][5][7]

2010s

In 2017, the Burmese military awarded KT Group with a 50-year build-operate-transfer agreement for Pegu Club, with payments going to an off-budget Ministry of Defence account.[8] KT Group pays a military conglomerate at least US$510,000 in annual dues.[9]

In 2018, the first phase of restoration was undertaken to serve as a multi-purpose event venue by KT Group, the Beaumont Partnership and Yangon Heritage Trust. The second phase is planned for the near future.[3] The Pegu Club building received a Blue Plaque from Yangon Heritage Trust.[10]

Compound

The premise has the main clubhouse, the Prince of Wales Great Hall, the gardens and the residential area with tennis courts.[4]

Main Clubhouse

Pegu Club Main Building
Former Pegu Club Main Building

Constructed of teak wood, the main clubhouse was built to withstand the heat. It has louvered doors and windows at the upstairs living quarters allowing cross-ventilation. The building has high ceilings and the carriageway and carriage porch are separated—showcasing the high social status of the building.[6]

The Windsor Lounge is located in the main building which is now renovated and ready to be used. The lounge is 110 square metres (1,200 sq ft) big and can host up to 20 guests for cocktail events. Another room is the drawing-room overlooking the gardens with enough space for 30 people to dine.[4]

The Prince of Wales Great Hall

The Great Hall was built in anticipation of the Prince of Wales in 1922. The Great Hall is 284 square metres (3,060 sq ft) big, can host 120 guests for cocktail events and 100 guests for theater and banquet.[4]

Somerset Court

Between the main building and the Prince of Wales Great Hall is the Somerset Court. It is 333 square metres (3,580 sq ft) big and can host 150 guests for cocktail events and 100 guests for a banquet.

The Gardens

There are three gardens in the compound of Pegu Club: Swedaw, Thazin, and Ingyin which are 2600, 1550 and 840 square meters big respectively.[4]

Membership

During the colonial period, membership was limited to Caucasians only even though the text says "all gentlemen with interest in general society". Under Japanese rule, the Japanese also did not allow local Burmese inside the club except for a few exceptions.[1]

Pegu Club Cocktail

Pegu Club cocktail was first introduced in the 1920s. The cocktail became popular in the 1930s when it was featured in The Savoy Cocktail Book.[11] In Yangon, the Pegu Club cocktail is available in the Strand Hotel, The Governor's Residence,[1] and as of 2018, at the original Pegu Club.

Recipe

  • 2 ounces London dry gin
  • ¾ ounce lime juice
  • ¾ ounce orange curacao
  • A dash of Angostura bitters
  • A dash of orange bitters[4]

Reincarnation

Pegu Club in New York City

In New York City SoHo District, a bar was opened in 2005 named after the Pegu Club serving the Pegu Club cocktail.[11] It closed in 2020 as a result of reduced business due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12] The bar helped lead the craft cocktail movement.[13]

Pegu Club: The Game

A start-up table-top game studio called Burmah Games is now developing a partial fictional board game inspired by the Pegu Club. The game is based on the alternate version of 19th century Rangoon, featuring cards based on historical location. The game is designed by Naing Lin Kyaw with the art of Zune Ei Htet and Sai Laung Linn.[14]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "A toast to the past". The Myanmar Times. 2013-07-08. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  2. ↑ Theroux, Paul (1971-11-01). "Burma". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
  3. 1 2 "The birthplace of the Pegu Club cocktail opens its doors once more". Asia Property Awards. 2019-07-25. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Home". The Pegu Club. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
  5. 1 2 "Pegu Club – Architectural Guide: Yangon". Retrieved 2019-09-20.
  6. 1 2 Bansal, Ben, 1981- (2015). Architectural guide Yangon. Fox, Elliott, 1987-, Oka, Manuel, 1983-. Berlin. ISBN 9783869223759. OCLC 926670492.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. 1 2 "Yangon's historic Pegu Club comes back to the future". Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
  8. ↑ "The Kyaw Thaung family's business with the Myanmar military". Justice For Myanmar. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  9. ↑ Beech, Hannah (2021-12-24). "Worldly, Charming, and Quietly Equipping a Brutal Military". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  10. ↑ "Blue Plaque Project – Yangon Heritage Trust". Retrieved 2019-10-31.
  11. 1 2 "Pegu Club Cocktail". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  12. ↑ Dai, Serena (2020-04-30). "Cocktail Pioneer Pegu Club Closes Permanently After Nearly 15 Years". Eater NY. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  13. ↑ Repanich, Jeremy (2019-11-19). "14 Bars That Changed Cocktails Forever in America". Robb Report. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  14. ↑ "Pegu Club: The Game – Burmah Games". Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  • Media related to Pegu Club at Wikimedia Commons

16°47′13″N 96°08′34″E / 16.786964°N 96.142908°E / 16.786964; 96.142908

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