15/01/2025
A Walk Through My Family’s History at
Continuing from yesterday’s tree ordination ceremony at 137 Pillars House and the historic Wat Gate neighborhood, we spent the morning wandering the hotel grounds, enjoying the cool breeze. But for me, this wasn’t just any walk—it was a journey through my own family’s history.
Built in the late 1800s by Louis Leonowens, the son of Anna Leonowens (The King and I), this house later became the residence of my great-grandfather, William Bain, Esq. As the General Manager of The British Borneo Company in Chiang Mai, he settled here with his Lanna wife and raised four children, including my grandfather, Jack Bain.
Grandpa Jack often told me how strict and proper my great-grandfather was. Having attended Harrow School in the UK before joining the army, he ran his household with military precision—no dust was allowed on any surface, visits had designated times, and even the staircase had rules: right side up, left side down, or else you’d be scolded. He traveled with an assistant and a driver, and to everyone’s amazement, he introduced Chiang Mai’s very first automobile, turning heads wherever he went.
Today, 137 Pillars House has preserved much of this history. The former main house is now the lobby, with the William Bain Dining Room (once his bedroom) and Jack Bain’s Bar, where portraits of both my grandfather and Louis Leonowens now hang. Nearby, the private lounge was once Grandpa Jack’s study—where, as my mom recalls, he pretended to do homework while his father stood by, stick in hand, ready to keep him in line.
Downstairs, the museum holds artifacts and rare photographs of the British Borneo Company and my great-grandfather, many of which can’t be found anywhere else. Recently, my sister uncovered even deeper insights into William Bain, and I can’t wait to share more—including stories about our over 200-year-old house, which we now call home—in my next post.
History has a way of finding its way back to you, and today, I felt that more than ever.