Page 33 - Begrave Thesis_Neat

Britain’s Political Agent Hugh Weightman noted to the Residency the

possible causes for the rise of the Movement. He highlighted the rise in nationalism

among newly-educated Bahraini youth though its ideals had arrived late to the

islands, the formation of a Legislative Council in Kuwait and disturbances in Dubai

both in 1938, the reduction in size of BAPCO’s local labour force, the collapse of the

44
pearl industry, and the subsequent bankruptcies among merchants. In addition to
the demands publically presented (according to the Political Agent’s unnamed

informant) the supporters of the Movement in 1938 did not wish to see Belgrave

remain in Bahrain or, if he did so, for his duties to be limited to the financial aspect

of the Administration.
45
The period of the 1939-45 Second World War and shortly after witnessed a

time of internal political stability in Bahrain. Sheikh Hamad the Ruler of Bahrain

died at the age of seventy on 20 February 1942. His eldest son, HH Sheikh Salman
46

bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, had been declared his successor by his father and he was

recognised as the Ruler of Bahrain by HMG. The role of the new Ruler would
47

become significant during the rise and fall of the political movement in the 1950s, as

will be made clear later in this thesis.

The decision in 1947 by Britain to withdraw from Palestine and the

subsequent United Nations’ (UN) partition of Palestine had an effect on Bahrain and

demonstrations ran rampant. Trouble in Bahrain occurred on 4 and 5 December

44 IOR/R/15/1/343, Weightman to Fowle, 19 November 1938.
45 IOR/R/15/1/343, Weightman’s Report on Bahrain, 27 October 1938.
46 IOR/R/15/2/803, Death Certificate of Sheikh Hamad Al-Khalifa, 20 February 1942.
47 ‘Administration Report of the Persian Gulf for the Year 1942’, in The Persian Gulf Administration
Reports 1873-1947, vol. X 1941-1947, 1-22 (2-3).

© Hamad E. Abdulla 12