A Cocktail Party in Sibu

In Sibu, in the 1950's and 1960's, the Resident and his wife were the top people who entertained their guests with cocktail parties. Others who organized cocktail parties were the Chartered Bank Manager, and the Island Club and Sibu Recreation Club.

The cocktail party was as English as Queen Victoria.

Sibu Cocktail parties could be held at the Residency itself, or at the Sibu Recreation Club and for many occasions at the Island Club where club membership was rather exclusive.

What was a cocktail party like? An old friend told me an interesting anecdote as she reminisced about the fun times of Sibu during the 50's when she had just started working for one of the government departments. She remembered the special cocktail party organised by the Chartered Bank Manager.

It was a night to remember for her.

The secretary of the bank manager sent out invitation cards for a cocktail party to his guests who were expected to RSVP. According to her, it was rumoured that the wives of the community leaders did not know what to do because they did not know what RSVP mean. In those days they had no PA to help them. And they also could not call the Chartered Bank Manager's wife to explain what RSVP mean.

Finally one of them asked the local Dutch priest to explain what it was all about.

(RSVP is an acronym derived from the French phrase Répondez s'il vous plaît, meaning to give a response, to confirm attendance or a decline.)

Some of the ladies who attended the cocktail party came back with interesting stories about what every one wore and what they were served. 

Picture from Google.

According to my friend, most of them could not drink (shy) they asked for cold water. Some even took the cocktails served and mixed with Coca Cola secretly.

But most interestingly, after that special party, most of the Foochow ladies started to wear skirts and good pearl necklaces. So the trend was set. From then on, according to her, cocktail party dresses became popular in Sibu and every tailor started making some.

In an old advertisement by Yien King Restaurant it was stated that it could be a good venue for Cocktail parties. Literally translated from the English word Cocktail Party - Chicken Tail Wine Party.

Cheers.