Page 315 - Begrave Thesis_Neat
P. 315

no  matter  how  much  we  differed  with  him  and  the  policies  he
                          instituted or the methods he followed, he was clean hand and honest
                          during all the time he worked.  He did not exploit his wide authority
                          during that long period to himself or to his own personal gains. 942

                          Belgrave’s home in Manama no longer exists as it was demolished and

                   fenced.  The road that carried his name was changed to Sheikh Isa Al-Kabir (the


                   Great) Road.  Today there are no artifacts related to Belgrave in Bahrain’s museums

                   with the exception of him appearing in the background of various photographs


                   featuring local dignitaries.  A question arises as to why there is virtually no mention

                   of Belgrave’s work or presence in Bahrain.  The answer to that is found in Belgrave’s


                   publications, in particular his Personal Column and in his diary.  The content

                   featured in his work that contained local gossip, personal attacks on various local


                   and British figures, mockery, and history of the humble and at times controversial


                   beginnings of various known local families resulted in him burning all bridges

                   amongst the locals.  Hence, there is virtually no artifacts left of him.

                          Al-Bakir, after a short stay in Britain traveled to Lebanon where he arrived


                   on 22 July 1961. 943   Lebanon turned to be his final home as he lived there until his


                   death on 8 July 1971.  His body was buried in Qatar.  Al-Alaiwat after his release

                   from St Helena lived in Syria and Iraq.  He died on 14 January 1969 and was buried

                   in the city of Najaf in Iraq. 944   As for the two frontline members Ibn Musa and E


                   Fakhroo who were imprisoned in Bahrain, they were less fortunate than the first


                   three, as the two were freed on 8 August 1964.  Ibn Musa died approximately forty



                   942  ‘Wafat Al-Sir Charles Belgrave’ [The Death of Sir Charles Belgrave], Al-Adwha’a, 6 March 1969, 3.
                   943  Al-Bakir, From Bahrain to Exile, 457.
                   944  ‘Aham Al-Shakhsiyat alti Asrat “Al-Hay’eh’ [Contemporary Personalities that Witnessed the
                   Committee], Abwab Al-Wasat, 13 October 2004, 13.



                   © Hamad E. Abdulla                       294
   310   311   312   313   314   315   316   317   318   319   320