Kudds allows storage for left-over luggage at no extra cost. The trunks are neatly stacked on top of each other along the wall, saving floor space. With dwindling occupancy, nowadays more trunks vie for space in the corridors than actual guests staying there.
A garlanded portrait of Jesus greets visitors in the reception hall. The Latin phrase adveniat regnum tumm, written on the scroll above, translates as ‘May your kingdom come.’ This particular phrase is associated with Christ the King, referring to the idea of the Kingdom of God, where Christ is described as being seated at the right hand of God. In front of the portrait is a small figure of Mother Mary holding the infant Jesus.
Each guest is allowed one trunk for storage which contains their personal belongings. The trunks are labelled with family names or membership numbers for identification.
A short flight of steps connects the courtyard (now used for parking vehicles) to the front veranda. The balusters along the handrails feature the six-pointed Star of David motif, which also features on the parapet of the veranda. On either side of the staircase are squat pedestals, which may have supported statues or planters. The helical steps in the foreground lead to a side gate opening on the veranda.
The wide entrance and tall windows along the reception hall keep the interiors breezy and well-ventilated. The reception hall—the largest room in the club—is naturally illuminated by sunlight during the day. The building is west-facing, and light streaming in the late afternoon casts long shadows in the reception hall.
The lancet doors and windows have a distinctive pointed arch at the top. The windows feature fine tracery. Tracery is typically used as a decorative element in the upper part of Gothic windows (or screens, panels, and vaults), which are divided into sections of various proportions by a stone framework (wooden in this case).
Gothic architecture went through a revival in the late 19th century and became very popular in Mumbai through the works of architects like Frederick Stevens. The club building was likely built in or around the same period, which has certain Gothic revival elements. For example, a distinctive feature of the neo-Gothic architecture is the use of stained glass windows, which cast colourful light on the interior of the building.
Mr Antonio Barretto is the current manager of the Club of St. Anthony. A member of the club since 1973, he has a longstanding connection to the place. In 2013, he took up residence in the kudd and now manages its day-to-day affairs, keeping it operational.
During the colonial period, Goan migrants worked as pantry boys, dhobis, bakers, tailors, shoemakers, musicians, clerks, and other sundry jobs at Mazagaon. Some found employment in factories, hotels, offices, railways, and mills that dotted Mazagaon and Byculla. Many worked as sailors on ships that had to transit through the dockyards. Due to their itinerant lifestyle, they would leave their personal belongings at the kudd, locked away in trunks.
After decades of neglect, the building underwent a facelift, thanks to a collective effort by community members of Deussua. During the restoration, some material and structural changes were made to the century-old building. The original wooden flooring was replaced by marble flooring, and metal grilles were added to the windows. Even post-restoration, there is an overall sense of dilapidation and ageing, as evident from the peeled plaster on the walls of the veranda.