Page 456 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1929

Shaikh Abdulla and the Headmaster of the Muharrak School called in the morning before the Biladya meeting. They
have been having a lot of trouble about the schools. I suggested that we needed an Inspector of Schools and Abdulla
thought it a very good idea. Meeting of Manama Biladya. Unusually dull. They have a mania now for trying to forbid
import of things that they consider unwholesome such as saccharine, sugar substitute, and soda. I pointed out to them
that they couldnt do this, all they could do was to report to the Government that they thought it was unwholesome.
Meeting went on a very long time and I got very bored. Shaikh Mohamed is not as good as Abdulla was.

Yousuf Fakroo called about a piece of land in a case. I showed him the plan of the sea road. He was
much interested. Meeting of the Wakf Committee in the evening. Still cool windy weather. They say that diving is
being hampered a great deal this year owing to the rough seas, half the time it has been impossible to dive.

Wednesday [3 July]

Went down to the J.C. for the Baraidi case. Prior takes a very firm line in cases very different to Barrett. Barrett had a
go at this case which has been going on for 15 years but was quite ineffectual. Went to see the fish market afterwards
and then back to the office. Prior came in after the Court. When he was out at Sakhrir he had a talk with the Shaikh
about educating his sons, but with little affect. The Shaikh would think of sending any of them away but said he would
not mind a tutor for Mubarak. Mespers in the afternoon. Won 22 points off Mrs S and Ben Simon at Bridge. Dined
with Prior and discussed the tutor question. Prior's suggestion to the Shaikh was that Mubarak should go to a school
for a while in India, but he said his wife would not like it so that would be impossible. Prior then talked about
Mubarak, but the Shaikh wouldnt hear of anything in the line of education. He will grow up a perfectly intolerable
little beast.

Thursday [4 July]

The Shaikh moved in to the Palace. Court. Finished early as we had one big case which did not take as long as we
expected. D.G. came in about the passport question and we went over to see Prior on the subject. There is rather a mix
up over it. Very stormy day, strong shamaal and very cool. Called on Pack and Bienenfeld in the afternoon, both out.
Then to the Police station and then to a Biladya inspection of a new road they want to open up. Tiffah came to see me
in the evening, I had some clothes to mend, and she gave me all the local gossip. Abdul Ali called after dinner, with no
particular object. Talked most of the time about the evil doings of Bin Jeloui and Ibn Saoud. Abdu Ali loathes both of
them. Slept indoors as it was so cool and windy.

Friday 5th July 1929

Went to the Bank in the morning. There is a fashion now for people to give curry lunches, each trying to have hotter
curry then the rest, as I dislike any curry I dont have to go. Shaikh Abdulla came to call in the afternoon to talk about
the business of the Schools. He said that the present arrangement is not satisfactory and the schools should all be under
the direct supervision of the Government. He wants us to get an Inspector of Schools who will have a room in this
office and will be responsible for seeing to all of them. He says that the present committee, and himself, are not people
of any education so they cannot possibly do the work. He also talked about the Shaikhs sons and how very badly they
are being brought up. Then Shaikh Hamed came and he went over to the Agency for tea and looked on at the tennis