Page 181 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

179

1927

I had a Court so found a lot of cases when I came back & sat in Court till 3 pm! then went to the Palace with the Shaikh who
had arranged to inspect it. A most disappointing affair, he made no bones about saying how much he disliked it. There was a
fire burning down below & a lot of smoke blowing into the rooms, also Sh Abdulla had been expected & didnt come so he
talked & complained incessantly about these two things, paying no attention to the Palace except to say that he saw no room
which he liked - except the Meglis. The Palace is much too much of European style, the rooms, about 30, are really too small,
& there is no place for all the men - cattle, servants, hawks dogs & hangers on. Probably we shall have to build some
addition, a room on the roof & a compound behind. People to tea & Bridge. Our "Thursdays" are now quite an institution.

Friday 18th [March]

M & I took Mrs Spence & Spence down the bazaar in the morning, then went back to their house & drank some, to my mind,
very nasty cocktails, mostly gin. Played tennis with the Spences & the party then came in here & played Bridge - they drink
one bottle of whisky & ½ of two bottles of vermouth about every time they come.

Saturday [19 March]