Page 1159 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1157
1940

Thursday Feb 13th

Didn't go to the fort but worked in the office before breakfast - later usual office work & thn to a Municipal

meeting, Manama. Discussions about opening up a new road in the bazaar, a matter on which the
individual landlords are concerned and also about a flour mill being a nuisance & suggestion that Govt
should go into the question of lepers. The members said there are far more than I thought in the place,
mostly out in the villages. Altogether quite a good meeting. Worked in office till after two o'clock, went up
to the range to see the Police shooting, none of the good shots were on today. Shaikha Ayesha came to tea
with M also Mrs Skinner & Steele to meet her. I went over to the Agency & had tea with the Lochs. The
Dutch air line is asking permission to come through here, moving over from the Persian coast, like
everything else. Soon the Persian side will be quite deserted, the next move will be the Resident - I fear. An
awful nuisance to have him here on top of us. Its all the fault of the Persians. Dinner party at the Dames -
an awful party, the Lochs & ourselves & some mission & a Mr - an English parson, who is staying with them,
quite a nice elderly man but wore a moustache, he used to eb a missionary in India, now lives in Dorset.

Called out after dinner on a liquor raid & didn't get back till 11.30 - an unproductive affair but I wasn't sorry
to leave the party. They give one sarsaperelli (?) a drink which is decidedly medicinal !!

Friday [14th February]

Drove to beyond Zellaq in the morning to see where the Shaikh is making a new garden. A pleasant place
on the shore, he has got a good flow of water from an artesian well. A dull blowy day, a lot of sand about
and much mirage, very bumpy road. Got back for lunch. The Lochs have invited us to go on another trip on
their launch, fortunately we refused as it blew hard in the afternoon & they must have had a horrid time.
James & I picked flowers in the garden after lunch, a great bunch of sweet peas & later he went to a party

at the Thoms and M & her mother to tea at the Girls School. A nasty afternoon, sat down & read Hector
Soletho's Older People, very good.

Saturday 15th Feb

Fort. Court. Bridge at the Bank. Mrs Skrimshire who is now much better, did not appear. She has been ill
almost since she came out here, bad luck on both of them.