Page 1979 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1976

1945

as not having two faces but three - also talked of YK who came back from Abadan, full of anger apparently
against HH & myself. Went to the customs. I always see Abdul Kerim there. Heard of wheat being brought
ashore in large quantities from a ship off Muharraq. Pelly returned from Sharjah where he went by air for a
few days. Three bottles Persian sherry sent by Parker from Macpherson, very nice light dry sherry.

Went to see some furniture at Fallen's flat. Dined with Parker to meet Miss Rhys, matron in chief of the RAF
also the matron from Iraq. The former I like, she was extremely friendly, also present three nurses & the
RAF doctor, a very common person but pleasant. After quite a good dinner we went out to Awali to see a
film, Col Blimp, a very good picture, extremely English & well acted, a long picture. Returned to Parker's
house & sat in his bedroom, the coolest room in the house. Quite a nice evening.

Wednesday 18th July

Rode before breakfast & went to see Hassan Madaifa's garden near Jufair where he is short of water & trying
to get us to allow him to drill a well. A nice little man, neat & plump & amiable, but today almost tearful
about his dying garden. He had a table set out and produced heaped dishes of round cakes, a sort of spicy
plum cake in slices, a sweet of yellowish jelly like substance, spotted with almonds, terrible, sticky & sickly
taste, but the local mangoes were excellent also melons & pawpaw. Office all the morning, spent some time
with Pelly. I wish he was permanent here, then went to see Dr Doeg about getting another nurse, she thinks
some Persian women have come here with Bilhargeosen, the illness the illness people get from Nile water &