Page 495 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

493

1929

went off the deep end about Bahrain and said there was not a single official who knew his job and we all pandered too
much to the natives. Silly woman. ... had been there I would have answered her suitably.

Saturday 9th November 1929
Office in morning. Drove out in the afternoon and then Parke came in to tea. Apparently Mrs Straker at the Bank
yesterday fairly let herself go on the subject of Bahrain, said that there was not one official who knew his job and that
everyone pandered to the beastly Arabs. Parke, who was playing Bridge with her, was very angry and answered her
back very briskly. It seemed to have caused rather a sensation. Dined at the Agency, Bienenfeld and Ben Simon were
there, played bridge. They are very pleasant people.

Sunday [10 November]

The two flying boats arrived in the morning. We had Colonel Taylor, the C.R.E. Irak, chief Engineer, to stay with us,
he came to arrange about the price of the Quarantine Station and the rent of the aerodrome. He seemed a pleasant man,
elderly, real army and not R.A.F. In the afternoon we took him out for a drive, to the Quarantine and then round about
the place up the Budeya road and back by the other way. It is pleasant to have people to stay when they are proper
people like this man but so many are not. We dined at Mespers and he dined with the others at the Agency. There are
about seven or eight of them this time and both Mespers and D.G. are taking one. Prior is very fed up with them and
very angry at their bringing down with them the head intelligence sleuth from Bagdad, it isnt done to bring people of
that sort without asking. He looked a queer sort of fellow, I think Levantine with a Turkish wife in Bagdad. The one
who was at Mespers got a little drunk at dinner, a most poisonous young man called Revington.

Monday [11 November]

Court. In the afternoon we intended going to the Mission but Colonel Taylor began talking business to me and didnt
stop till it was too late to go to the Mission. He seems to think that we are asking far too big a price for the Quarantine.
Personally I think if it is not worth the amount now it very soon will be. We are asking over £1000 for it. He seemed
rather annoyed that I would not take less. Said I would take him out to see the Shaikh tomorrow. We went out for a
drive instead of going to tennis. Dined at the Jordans. A most excellent dinner. They have made their house very
comfortable but I think it may be cold in winter. Played bridge. There was not much in it which was fortunate as we
heard that when Jordan lost rather a lot of rubbers lately he flung down his cards and said he wouldnt play any more.
Mrs Jordan talked much of a place called Clacton on sea, just the sort of place she would know. She is quite vulgar but
means well. Taylor is a very easy person to have in the house and really very pleasant. Lovely weather still, cool and
sunny but still no signs of rain. One of the planes went off to the mainland. They are looking at the landing grounds
which are being made for the machines which Ibn Saoud is buying from the British Government for his war over there.
Everyone thinks it will be a very dangerous job for the men who are to fly them, there are no maps or anything of the
interior of Arabia and the people are not accustomed to aeroplanes.

Tuesday 12th November 1929