Casino Maltese Club
The Casino Maltese. Pause Slideshow. Dec 08, 2016 I was invited to dinner at the Casino Maltese on Friday night. If you have ever had the opportunity to visit you will know how beautiful the building is with the various rooms for a social function or a dinner. The Princess room in particular. This is a member's club so you really need to know someone who is a member. Dec 09, 2016 Casino Maltese, Valletta: See 8 unbiased reviews of Casino Maltese, rated 5 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #195 of 286 restaurants in Valletta.
So there we all were, seated in an ornate ballroom with Murano chandeliers that had seen countless visitors and distinguished club members throughout the years. When our friend Pat Vella opened the event, we listened intently as she relayed some historic details about The Casino Maltese. A roaring applause followed Pat’s mention that the venue had for a long time been a “men-only” club and continued “look at us today, 250 of us in one room. Amazing…amazing…thank you!”
From here began this momentous occasion which had been building up for almost a year! SHE Co-founder Sarah Woods beamed as she welcomed our guests, participants and sponsors while behind the scenes, the team worked tirelessly to ensure things would run smoothly. We wanted the event to be extra special and so we called on a few of our friends and ladies we admire to share their stories, expertise, musical and dance talents with us!
Our guest speakers this time were hospitality professional and mindset coach Robyn Pratt, Language school founding director Rebecca Bonnici, small entrepreneur, blogger and cancer survivor Lorinda Mamo and consultant psychiatrist Dr Rachel Taylor-East. The topic for the day focused on mental health and wellbeing through the experiences relayed by our panelists who joined SHE Co-founder Julia Perry on stage.
Next we welcomed intuitive body coach Cat Moyle who opened our eyes and got us moving to the rhythm of our female cycle and later HR professional Mikela Fenech Pace delivered an outstanding talk which centered around the wellbeing of company employees.
As the drinks flowed and food prepared by our hosts Corinthia Caterers replenished, we enjoyed networking and browsing all the delightful stalls by local, women-owned brands. From the piano flowed classical notes played by music teacher Thea Saliba and back for a second time, sister song-writer duo The New Victorians transported us on an emotional journey with original tracks including a song from their recent production “Mara” performed last August at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The whole day culminated in an equally moving ensemble by the talented girls at Seed Dance Studios led by teacher extraordinaire Marisha Bonnici and once again, as if all in a daydream, we walked away feeling empowered and carrying a lovely gift box by Debenhams Beauty as a token of our time shared together.
This event was sponsored by Corinthia Caterers, Perry Estate Agents, Rebecca Kamsky Photography, Debenhams Malta, Oasis Malta, Debenhams Beauty, Studio Seven and MINT Wellness.
“Our mind is powerful and when understood at a deeper level, we can achieve results we never thought possible” – Robyn Pratt
It was a great honour to have serial entrepreneur and hospitality professional Robyn Pratt join us as a guest panelist on Thursday 21st November! With 40 years experience spanning management, branding, leadership and mindset change Robyn is well rehearsed in training and inspiring others to achieve success both in their personal and professional lives.
The recipient of various awards including “Queensland business of the year” and “International Woman chiefs of Enterprises Achievement for Contribution to the Australian Tourism industry Robyn leads an extraordinary, multi-faceted career!
“When I eventually wrote about what was going on with my son as well as my cancer, writing became the best therapy.” – Lorinda Mamo
Sharing with us her joys, sadness, hopes and aspirations small business entrepreneur, graphic designer and creator of @abirdwithafrenchfry_ Lorinda Mamo sat on our guest panel on Thursday 21st November! A maker “in every sense of the word” Lorinda is always thinking of the next project to busy her mind whether Pom pom-making, sewing, sourcing fabrics, planning crafts workshops, writing, cooking or snapping photographs of her young son, all of the above a welcome distraction from a harsher reality.
Passionate about positivity and self-care, this exceptionally gifted and courageous mum continues to inspire others through telling her experiences of breast cancer and raising a child with a chronic illness. This she does while, as she puts it, “trying to be the best version of myself”.
“I often tell myself…Stop and think then follow your heart”- Dr Rachel Taylor-East
Entering the scene consultant Psychiatrist Dr.Rachel Taylor-East affectionately known as “Sasha” will be sharing some of her experiences, knowledge and expertise with the rest of us in the audience. This devoted mother of two studied at the prestigious Kings College in London obtaining an MSc in Clinical and Public Health Aspects of Addiction and an undergraduate Medicine and Surgery degree at the University of Malta where she is currently a visiting assisting lecturer on the Psychiatry module.
Among her many qualifications and professional achievements Dr Taylor-East is on the specialist register of The Malta Medical Council and a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. She is also the General Secretary for the Maltese Association of Psychiatry and the founding president of the Malta Association of Psychiatric trainees.
“As a woman who had a hysterectomy, aged 36 – I am extremely vigilant when it comes to weight gain and avoidable premature ageing.” – Rebecca Bonnici
We also welcomed business owner, Rebecca Bonnici. Credited for shaping the woman she is today are her husband and two daughters with whom she shares a colourful and beautifully contented life. At the same time, the high-spirited entrepreneur is busy running @belsmalta language school. Here, she leads a team of approximately 50 full-time employees who together, herself included, strive to deliver “a full service of excellence” to their clients.
When she’s out of the office, Becky as she is less formerly known – thoroughly enjoys exploring a wide-ranging set of interests including food, music and dance. Improved health and well-being are also high on her agenda, she tells us “Yoga helps align my thoughts and calm my racing mind, while running lifts my mood”.
Club History
The founding document of the Casino Maltese is dated 1 March 1852. The Club is considered a living society of prestige, a national institution, and as such forms part of Malta's history. The Club's motto is 'Omnibus Idem', and has the social gathering and entertainment of members as the main purpose for its existence.
The Club occupied different premises on Valletta’s main thoroughfare and was called Casino della Borsa when it used the piano nobile of Chamber of Commerce’s Exchange Building. The Club leased out 247 Strada Reale (now Republic Street) between 1859 and 1877 and then from 1906 to date. At the beginning of the 20th century the Club carried out modifications to the building including the creation of the grand staircase and the courtyard under the direction of architect Nicola Buhagiar.
During World War II some members of staff tragically lost their lives in the air raid of 15 February 1942. Despite sustaining extensive war damage, the Club remained open. The word 'Resurgam' (I will rise again) was displayed on a board amid the ruins by members, many of whom were in uniform at the time.
The partial reconstruction of the Casino Maltese was entrusted to architect Silvio Mercieca who created the Fireside Lounge and the vast spaces of the reception rooms on the first floor, including the ornate Ballroom.
Club members have the use of a Reading Room, a Billiard Room, lounge areas, a Bar in the covered courtyard as well as the Dining Room and reception areas.
Over the years the Club had the privilege of welcoming many a distinguished visitor including HM Queen Elizabeth II, as Princess on 14 December 1949, The Duke of Windsor (later King Edward VIII) during his visit to Malta for the official opening of the first Maltese Parliament on the 1 November 1921, Emperor Hirohito of Japan on the 25 of April 1921. More recently Prince Edward, as Chairman of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award International Council was in Malta to attend the 11th International Award Forum in 1989. He returned with the Countess of Wessex on the 25 November 2012.
Two marble tablets record the names of past Presidents.
The Club also runs smaller premises at No.70, Tower Road, Sliema.
The Club has reciprocal agreements with similar clubs that exist in Australia, Canada, Chile, England, France, Holland, India, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, People's Republic of China, Scotland, Spain and USA.
History of the Building
During the rule of the Order of the Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem the premises at 247 Republic Street, were used as the 'Casa Del Commun Tesoro' (literally the House of the National Treasurer), but only accounts, contracts and records of the Treasury were kept there. This institution was presided over by the Grand Commander who was helped in his task by 2 procurators of the Treasury, the Procurator of the Grand Master, the Conventual Conservator and the Secretary.
The Secretary resided on the premises in an apartment with a separate entrance, and it was his duty to supervise
the clerks and accountants, and to see that the interests of the Religion were properly cared for. His position was of the greatest trust, and he was assisted by under-secretaries for France, Spain and Italy. His office was very demanding, but his wage was considered low at only Scudi 300 per annum.
During the early days of British rule the premises housed the Chief Secretary's Office, Government Treasury, the British packet office. Samuel T. Coleridge, renowned poet and writer, worked on the premises for a short period at the beginning of the 19th Century.
During the late 1800s, the building was converted into ‘The Grand Hotel’ and at one point, what is now the Reading Room was the Salinos Cinema, the second cinema to open in Malta.
Since 1906 to date, the premises have been occupied by the Casino Maltese that modified the building for its use as a club.
----------
The publication ‘A History of the Maltese Club’ contains more details on the Casino Maltese and the premises it occupies. Click here for more information.
----------
The Noon-Mark Sundial with Analemma
The face of the Sundial (6.1m x 1.9m, pictured left) includes an Analemma and Zodiacal signs. It marks only noon-time.
The present Sundial is a modernised reconstruction of the one that existed up to the last war and which was subsequently destroyed when the wall collapsed through enemy action. It was reconstructed on the initiative and under the supervision Rev. Fr. George Fenech who constructed quite a few sundials across Malta.
The Analemma is the curve having the shape of an elongated figure of 8, made up of twelve sections representing the months, surrounding and crossing the main Meridian.
The sun spot crosses the Analemma at noon Malta time every day, marking at the same time the month of the year with a rough approximation of the day of the month.