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1947. A group of men who labelled themselves as the Popular Front, a majority of

whom were Sunnis, played a role in the events that were associated with the

disturbances in support of the Palestinian cause. Others in Bahrain joined the

demonstrations that turned into a riot. In relation to the disturbance at least three

of the organisers named by Belgrave became prominent or founding members of the

later nationalist movement. They were Abdul-Aziz Al-Shamlan, Mahmood Al-Mardi,

and Mohammed Qassim Al-Shirawi.
48

British officials in Bahrain considered as early as 1946 the position of

Belgrave. Resident Hay noted to EP Donaldson at the India Office that Belgrave

would turn fifty-five years of age in late 1949 and that Britain’s policy ought to

‘ensure that he goes then if nothing has induced him to retire earlier’. Further,
49

Hay sensed that Belgrave had intended to have his only son James Hamad Belgrave

groomed to take over his responsibilities as Adviser. Although the Resident
50

credited Belgrave for masterminding the development of Bahrain, he believed that

Belgrave had failed to keep up with the changing times and was too deeply attached

to the ancien regime.
51
In Bahrain, 1950s saw the return from Qatar of Abdul-Rahman Al-Bakir who,

in the view of this thesis, became the principal orchestrator of the nationalist

movement. Al-Bakir was born in Bahrain in 1917. From there he traveled to

various places, including Qatar, Dubai, and Africa and worked as an employee at

48 TNA, FO 371/68330, Belgrave’s Note on the Anti-Palestine Partition Disturbances.
49 TNA, FO 371/68881, Resident to India Office, 10 July 1946.
50 TNA, FO 371/68881, Resident to India Office, 3 September 1946.
51 TNA, FO 371/68319, Residency to Foreign Office, 17 April 1948.

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