Page 499 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1929

wrote to Barden, of the Bank, who is unmarried, and sent many messages to his "dear wife". Rather a slip. Took
James and the ayah out in the car in the afternoon. Played Bridge at D.G's in the afternoon after we got back. D.G. and
Parke lost heavily.

Wednesday [20 November]

Went round the bazaar with Jordan before breakfast to see the site of the electric cable, then had a look at the Shaikh's
market which needs mending in several places, it is partly huts made of date palms and always needing repairs.
Pleasant out in the morning. The Strakers have given up having an At Home on Wednesdays. I am sorry, one misses
the tennis there is so little this year. The Harrisons came to call and later on Fahad al Bassam. Harrison was very
enthusiastic about all the improvements in Bahrain since he was here last. He really was very pleasant. Al Bassam
said that all people say Prior thinks about nothing but show, he does rather a lot. They are very shrewd these Arabs.
Strakers came to dinner. We had sand grouse which were sent in by Abdulla bin Jabr who got seven with one shot on
the way out to Rafaa. Very good eating.

Thursday 21st November 1929

Court. Announced the sentence in the pearl case. The man, Shaikh Mohamed's brother in law turned quite green and
then began saying that he would appeal, presumably to the Shaikh who was the person who suggested the sentence. He
has been ordered to pay a fine of Rs 300, about £230, and forbidden to do any trade in pearls in Bahrain for two years.
A very suitable sentence in my opinion. I expect Shaikh Mohamed will be furious, every day now he seems to find a
new cause to complain that as he puts it his honour has been injured but if his relations are importers of cultured pearls
it is now our fault. Tennis at the Agency in afternoon.

Friday 22nd [November]

Went down the bazaar in the morning and got some silk that M wants and a piece to put on the lamp in the drawing
room. The bazaar has altered enormously since we have been here, one would hardly know it as the same bazaar as we
saw nearly four years ago, most of the narrow streets have been opened up and it is always absolutely clean. Went to
the Bank, it was difficult playing Bridge as the people chattered so much. Mrs Straker is rather tiresome and lays down
the law about things in the East of which she has less experience than anyone in the place. Tennis at the Agency, a
good many of the Mission attended. They are not as bad as they might be, some are quite nice people and less
Missionary than the ones here.

Saturday [23 November]

Shaikh Abdulla called in the morning, in a fine rage. While he was away the Municipality of Muharrak, of which he is
President, demolished twenty seven shops of his in one of the bazaars in Muharrak and began widening a bazaar. It
had been discussed before on the council but not decided upon. They acted entirely without asking him and the
damage is about half a lac of rupees. He is simply furious and asked me to go and see the place. He went off to call on