Page 702 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1932

Thursday [10 March]

Court. We were very late as the Shaikh came in soon after we started to talk about a case which Prior is dealing with
and then Prior came over and he and the Shaikh had a row which lasted an hour and a half. Shaikh Sulman and I sat
there all the time and it was most uncomfortable, the Shaikh as a matter of fact was quite in the wrong, interfering with
an Agency case, and Prior was justified in being annoyed. The Shaikh looked quite exhausted when he left and very
cross. Of course he is very tiresome at times but I felt rather sorry for him. Drove with the dogs in the afternoon and
dined at the de Greniers and then we all went to the Agency and danced. Some of the Navy were there, a very dull lot.
Stayed till one oclock but several stayed on much later. Warm day. I was rather bored by the Agency party, there were
so few women that it seemed absurd dancing.

Friday [11 March]

Bank and then Agency.

Friday 11th March 1932

Bridge at the Bank in the morning and tennis at the Agency in the afternoon. Prior was playing hockey so only
appeared later and we conducted the entertainment.

Saturday [12 March]

Court. In the afternoon we went out for a short drive and then to tea and Bridge with Terry at the R.A.F. Rest House.
Quite a good show. He had a very large tea and afterwards Bridge. It was quite a warm afternoon.

Sunday [13 March]

Had a meeting of the Meglis Tajara, a court composed of merchants who deal with commercial cases and accounts, in
my court room, they made such a din that I could literally hardly hear myself speak. In the afternoon we took the dogs
out with Ham and coursed across the Aali plain but didnt put up any hares so it was rather dull and disappointing
however very pleasant out there. We came back to tea and then went up to the Fort and played Bridge with Parke and
Terry but came back in time to change for dinner at the Agency to meet the S.N.O. Captain Crabbe and the commander
of the Foey Captain Yates, the Steeles were also dining there. It was a pleasant party and quite lively, after dinner we
danced. They talked a lot about the recent "war" down in Oman, they had several sloops there and the Muscat Army
led by Alban took part in the operations but just before they really got down to fighting the enemy capitulated. It
sounds great fun and I should have liked to have been on the show. Crabbe, the S.N.O. is a nice little man, a very
typical sailor and very neat and well dressed. His own ship, the Triad, is in dock in India being mended.