Page 523 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

only mildly interested. Prior went out on the John Lambert to meet his sister who arrived by a Strick boat, it
was very rough and he had a perfectly horrible time. I got a note from him when he returned. We had the
Parkins to dinner in order to relieve Prior, not thinking that he would want them the first night his sister
arrived. They are quite awful, a most insufferable man, like a shopwalker, and a tiresome young woman who
giggled at every remark. Played Bridge and took Rs 18 off them.

Sunday [9 February]

Prior and his sister called on M in the morning, her name is Mrs Pam, a queer name, the husband is a mining
engineer of note and at present in South Africa. I had a lot of tiresome people to the office, Abdel Latif
Doseri, the Katifis from Katif, and various others who seem to come every day about something or the other.
Tennis at the Agency, very good tennis, had three setts straight off, only ourselves. Played Bridge after tea.
The Jordans dined with us, they are really quite pleasant company.

Monday [10 February]

Fort in the morning. I got a wire from Parke telling me he will be back about end of the month. I have had no
letters so dont know what he proposes to do. Gave two of the old havildars a good dressing down, they are
getting very lazy and are not worth their pay, I told them that and much more. They looked very surprised.
Yesterday they held a meeting about the school. It seems to have been a great success and to have been
carried entirely by Abdulla. He is capital on these occasions. Jordan came in for some time in the morning.
Tennis at the Mission. The Dames had quite a good tea for once in the way. D.G. wants to go to Katif with
the flying men of Ibn Saoud.

Tuesday [11 February]

Meeting of the Manama Biladya but as so few members turned up we did not have a meeting. Took Prior
out to see the boundaries of some ground which Kozaibi claims near the town. Office after, Abdulla came in
to discuss the schools affairs. Motored to the Portuguese Fort and met Shaikh Mohamed there and went
with him to him to his garden where there were some narcissus growing. Dined at the Agency and danced
after dinner. A very pleasant evening and a change getting some dancing.

Wednesday 11th Feb 1930 [12 February]

A deputation called in the morning asking for the return of the two headmasters who have been sacked, they
consisted of Kozaibi, two of the Zayanis and Yusuf Fakroo, Shaikh Abdulla was present. Let them talk for
some time and then said that we thought the case of the Manama master was open to consideration but
quite impossible to think of allowing the other man to return. Yusuf Fakroo got very excited and angry and
said that we were entirely to blame for the whole thing because we had not summoned the Meglis, they, he
said, would have put an end to the strike with no delay. Actually they might have done so but by giving in to
the masters all along the line. They left in bad tempers saying that they hoped we would change our minds