Page 631 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1931

Saturday 17th [January]

Court. Parke and Prior came in after tea and made us very late for dinner with the Hakkens which was rather a dull show, but
they always mean to be very kind and seem to think that we enjoy dining with them. They had a good dinner. She is a large
vulgar looking woman and not meant to be the wife of a very narrow minded missionary. He is said to have been a prize
fighter at one time who was converted. He looks like it.

Sunday 18th [January]

Spent the whole of the morning and all the afternoon until I went out writing papers for divers who are being released this
season from their nahudas (captains). Sulman and I sat outside on the veranda dealing with them. There were about 600 I
think. We saw some of the nahudas and settled their affairs for them. Drove out to Sakhrir with James who went to call on the
Shaikh to say good bye, he enjoyed it very much and walked all about the place with Hamood looking at the dogs and camels
and ponies. Stayed there some time and talked to the Shaikh about money affairs, he never pays any attention to such tiresome
details and always says "Inshallah everything will be alright" no help when the revenue wont come in. I congratulated him on
the birth of a son. It is rather a queer affair as talk has it that it is not his at all, however he evidently means to acknowledge it.
It was very hot with a south wind blowing and a lot of sand about, an ugly day, everything looked its worst. I saw the new
mosque which he has just built, a very nice building really very artistic with a touch of the cinema style about it. It was
designed by Abdulla bin Jabr and he has a good eye for colour and building. Of course it is very unwise of him to have built it
just now when he has got no money. Came back and had tea and then went up to the Fort for Bridge, the de Greniers were
there. Quite a hot day like summer, it was over 70 in the house.

Monday 19th [January]

Court. In the afternoon we had all the people to tea and tennis, there were about 20 people so they couldnt all sit down in our
room which wont take many chairs. The Shaikh came in too and stayed for some time and then went upstairs and prayed in the
drawing room. He was very amiable and pleasant and seemed to like seeing all the people watching the tennis. In the evening
they saw the moon so the guns went to announce the beginning of RAMADAN. Much colder, a shamaal blowing. Dinner
party at the Agency for M's departure. Everyone had to go as a book, at least wearing the sign of one. All the English people
were there and Dr Tiffany and the two foreigners. A good party and very lively, went on till one oclock, we played games, sort
of animal charades and then a sort of variation of Consequences which became very "French" but most amusing, some of us
tried how far we could go in it, the result was that Mrs de Grenier looked rather surprised and Dr Tiffany looked quite
horrified. Prior read them out and did it very well. The Pole did some more sort of character studies not speaking, as he did at
the Mission, they were awfully comic and also rather improper. Foreigners are so good at that sort of thing. has a most plastic
face. Altogether a very good party, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Tuesday, 1st Ramadan 1349