Page 1180 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1940

Wednesday 29th April

Fort. The Shaikh came in JC. I went down to the office to see him & found him very cross as I gathered that
Sh Abdulla has been telling him he should give more of his share in the oil money to the relations. He is
very close with it now. Tennis & Bridge in afternoon. Watts, PH Muscat, staying at Agency, came over to
tea. A fat stupid looking man but quite pleasant.

Thursday 30th April

Fort. Very busy morning in the office. Wrote to DG & told him definitely that I didn't propose to enlarge
the plan of the new customs house, he is very obstinate & tiresome about it & will I know always feel he has
a grievance on the subject. A dinner party at the Weymouths, Bridge - rather a tiresome party. I dislike
organised Bridge. It was for the Nixs who are leaving quite soon, a stand up supper.

Friday 1st May

Went down bazaar in the morning, not many people about. In afternoon we went for a drive to the camp,
refinery & round. Quite a hot day, wrote a long letter to JP in the afternoon . He must now be home. The
Hakkems came to call, they are leaving for 1 1/2 years leave & then return to Baghdad. I am really sorry
that they are going away, they have been here so long, before we came.

Saturday 2nd May

Fort. Mrs Loch came up and took photographs of the camel section on parade as the other ones she took
recently were not a success. The men looked very well & the camels were behaving better than usual.
Before that I was on the range. Office, & then court. Finished early, people are beginning to go out diving

so a lot of them fail to attend court. A shamaal all day, so quite cool. Discussed various projects with Mohd
Khalil, I feel that having made a programme for some of the new expenditure it seems difficult to get
anything started off. Slept in afternoon. Picked a big bunch of carnations, they are doing very well this
year. After tea we & Beevor went off in the car & drove via Aali, Seddad, Jellaq & Om al Tala to Rumaitha,