Page 664 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1931

Saturday 14th November

Court. M went over to Muharrak to call on old Ayesha, the Dowager, and then to the Shaikh's latest wife who she had not
visited before. In the afternoon we motored and M had another try at driving, then we went to call on Dr and Mrs Holmes, I
had not seen her since I came back. She is very deaf and never goes about but a very nice amusing woman. Heard a great deal
of amusing local gossip, since there are now so many women here this place has become terribly full of gossip. M thought old
Ayesha was getting rather delapidated. She talked much about her recent trip to Mecca when she did the pilgrimage. At the
other house M saw the Shaikhs youngest son, he is about a year old, that makes the ninth now alive, and there is another on the
way. Each addition to the Royal Family means another member to be added to the Civil List which now takes half the revenue
of the State so I dont welcome these arrivals. Pack came in to call in the evening as he is going back to Europe by tomorrow's
boat, I always feel sorry when he leaves, he is a great acquisition here and a very nice fellow and interested in all such things as
music, painting etc, so many Jews are.

Sunday [15th November]

Office all the morning, busy at the half year accounts which are very depressing to see, we are at present spending more than
our income every month. Shaikh Mohamed called, talked to him about the affair of Ali bin Husein who is accused of taking a
loan of Rs 500 from a man whose house is in discussion about being pulled down to widen a street. Prior started the matter as
an enemy of A.H. told him about it, as it happens it turned out to be absolutely false as the loan was taken months before the
question of the house came up on the Council and there are papers and letters to prove it. Prior behaves very sillily sometimes
in taking up things without first finding out about them. Shaikh Mohamed and I decided to put the whole matter before the
council and let them discuss it. Gardened in the afternoon, put in a lot of bulbs which I got at Woolworths, I sent out some
fibre to plant them in so hope to get some success from them. We have never tried it before. Motored in the afternoon and
went across to the Agency before dinner to talk to Prior about money affairs, I am all for having a cut on pay all through all
Government departments but he thinks there is so far no need for such a drastic step. Parke came in and sat on till a quarter to
nine so we simply had to ask him to stay to dinner.

Monday 16th November

Office, still working at accounts. There is an awful accumulation of accounts and other things waiting for me to tackle them.
In the afternoon I motored with the agriculturist to Zallag and then to the Shaikh's garden at Seddad which is now very nice, he
has built two garden houses there, one a bath house with a tiled bath, big enough to swim in with running water going through
it, really awfully nice but a sheer waste of money. Dined at the Russells, a very poor dinner and dull entertainment, the Dames
were there and Prior and after dinner we just sat and talked, I nearly went to sleep. So awkward to have so many people here
who dont play Bridge. Before that we went in to the D.G. and played Bridge.

Tuesday [17 November]