Page 532 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Thursday [6 March]

Court, the first one for over a month. Didnt sit very late. No cases of any great interest. Sulman seemed to
be very bright. Went out a drive with the dogs and then to the Fort for Bridge. A flying boat arrived and we
put up the Flight Commander, or whatever he was called, a fellow called Bentley, quite pleasant but bored
me by staying up so late at night when I wanted to go to bed. They came for one night only. Cold day.

Friday 7th March 1930

Went down the bazaar in the morning. Went to Ashrafs and had a look round. Ashraf's manager was talking
about the way people here have taken to wearing shoes, he got in a consignment of 244 pairs and sold every
one in exactly two months. We have noticed it ourselves. They have changed a lot in four years in the style
of dress, they tend to become far more European in style. Bridge at the Bank. Shaikh Mohamed pursued me
and sent a messenger to the Bank to say he had called twice and when would I get home. He always comes
on Friday which he knows is my day off. Tea and tennis at the Agency, went over rather late as I waited for
Mohamed but he did not arrive. The old pearl man brought some pearls but none I wanted, I tried to get a
pair for links as a wedding present for Broadbent. The aeroplane left early in the morning, I did not get up to
see our guest off and I didnt hear him go.

Saturday [8 March]

Court. Got done in good time. They started the murder trial at the Joint Court, Prior and Shaikh Abdulla sat
on the Court. They went on till nearly two oclock and then adjourned it till Monday. The man said he was
drunk and had no recollection of killing the boy. He obviously was not as he got away from the Police in the
way no drunken man would be capable of doing. There was a big crowd at the Police Station and round the
Court, the public are taking a very great deal of interest in the case. Mohamed called in the morning before
court and talked about the Katif question and the elections. The results will be interesting. Went up to the
garden to get some flowers, the carnations are doing very well in the little Biladya garden, the soil is very
poor, sandy and full of little shells but it seems to suit them. Picked quite a lot, and very good ones. Went
out to Sakhrir with Prior and M, she stayed in the car, and had a talk to the Shaikh about educating his sons.
We have given them a tutor but they just dont go to him and the Shaikh doesnt like to make them do so as
he thinks it will be tiresome if his sons are annoyed. The eldest of the ones we are trying to teach is only
about eighteen. He was extremly obstinate and wouldnt agree to send them to Manama. Abdulla was there
and helped us to argue but it did no good. Abdulla was very gorgeously dressed, a scarlet under robe and a
bisht of dark brown with gold thread work and a very richly embroidered headcloth under his gold argal. He
looked very handsome, he is dark with a black dyed beard and very brilliant eyes. He was obviously amused
and contemptuous at the Shaikh's attitude, he has so often said to me, of his brother, that he wants
everyone to be happy and pleased with him which is impossible when one is a ruler of a country. The Shaikh
is really absurd though, he is completly bossed by his small son Daij, a horrid little spoilt boy, very greedy and
so fat that he pants when he walks fast, aged about 15. When we came we saw him hurriedly disappearing
into the womens part of the house. We had tea in the car on the way back. In the evening we gave a dinner
party, ten people including ourselves, in fact everyone except the Mission who "moves" in local society.