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were made to the donators, as it was not yet clear what the final charges for the

legal procedure would be. Levin thanked all those who contributed as people sent

varying donations; even clergymen who were poorly paid as Levin stated

contributed to the cause. 931

Prime Minister Macmillan decided that an appeal should not be made against

the freeing of the three prisoners and that their solicitors be consulted on the topic

of settlement. 932 In 1962 it was decided that the three Bahrainis would receive

compensation by the British Government worth £15,000. Additionally other

unspecified costs incurred by the three men would also be compensated by the

government, worth £5,000. 933

Upon the three prisoners’ release they were taken onboard the Warwick

Castle to London. They arrived on 14 July 1961. A press conference was given by

the three chaired by J Stonehouse. In the conference Al-Bakir expressed his

gratitude to the people of Britain and singled out the British Government as The

Guardian noted. 934

The Ruler of Bahrain Sheikh Salman passed away on 2 November 1961. His

oldest son and heir apparent HH Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa became Bahrain’s

new Ruler. 935 As for the former Adviser, he spent the remainder of his life in

retirement in Britain. As a member of the Royal Central Asian Society he was

awarded in 1967 with the Lawrence of Arabia Memorial Award, for his services to

931 B. Levin, ‘The Ex-Prisoners of Saint Helena’, The Spectator, 15 June 1961, 5-6.
932 TNA, FO 371/156750, FO to Residency, 17 October 1961, 1-2.
933 ‘£5,000 awards to three Bahreinis’, The Guardian, 5 June 1962, 1.
934 ‘Bahreinis from St Helena: Awaiting News on Compensation’, The Guardian 15 July 1961, 2.
935 ‘Son to Succeed Bahrain Ruler’, The Times, 3 November 1961, 12.

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