Page 549 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Tuesday [29 April]

Didnt go to the meeting of the Muharrak Biladya. Had a lot of people to see me in the office, Armstrong, Ali
bin Hussein, Major Holmes, Jordan, Mohamed Sherif's son and various others Mohamed Sherif's son had
lately returned from Persia and was full of the impossible trade conditions there now. He says they will have
a bad commercial smash if they go on as they are doing now. They wont recognise any foreign coinage and
they favour the Russians above the Persians. The Russians have got all the trade there and are treating the
place as if it was theirs. Went along to see Walker for a minute as I heard from him that someone was going
to import a diving outfit, a thing which is forbidden here as it would ruin the diving trade. M went up to call
on Ayesha in the morning, she and her mother and daughter in law and grand child are camping out in the
palace with a few servants and apparently enjoying it very much. Motored to Rafaa and went to the Jordans
on the way back to look at a supply of sample lamp shades which he had got from India. Found some that
will suit our colour scheme very well. Prior came over in the evening after dinner. We have put new covers
on the drawing room furniture, apple green linen, it is very nice but a trifle brighter than we wanted. We
have green curtains shot with pink and pinkish coloured cushions and Persian carpets, altogether it looks very
nice indeed and quite the most attractive room in the place.

Wednesday [30 April]

Went down to the Joint Court. The Shaikh had a letter from his mother in law, old Isa's wife, "The Queen" as
she calls herself.

Wednesday 30th April 1930

Went down to see the Shaikh at the Joint Court. He had a letter from "The Queen" as she calls herself, old
Shaikh Isa's wife, asking that he should mend her house and build a new Meglis for the old man. He seemed
very annoyed by the letter. She is a troublesome old lady and takes every opportunity of annoying The
Shaikh. Prior talked to him again about the boys not doing their lessons. It is difficult to make him take any
interest in them as being himself a man of no education he does not realise any of the difficulties of it nor the
importance. A Baluchi servant of one of Shaikh Abdulla's sons turned him out of his own house at the point
of a rifle and is now scouring the country fully armed and demanding food from the villages. I think he
sounds as if he was mad. Went to the Customs afterwards. Rain in the night but not a great deal. Had tennis
in the afternoon, Prior, Parke and the Doctor. Quite good tennis. The new Ayah came, a young pretty Indian
girl, a very different style to the old one. She seems very keen and quite competent.

Thursday 1st May

Shaikh Abdulla came in the morning and we had a long talk about education affairs. He seemed rather off
colour or annoyed about something, usually he is so very lively and bright. Possibly trouble about some of
his very tangled and multitudinous matrimonial affairs. Saw various other people and got a few letters