Page 716 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

714

1932

Tuesday 26th April 1932

Manama Biladya meeting. Not very interesting, a lot of talk about butchers, they appear to have behaved very badly.
Mrs Steele left, they came round for a moment to say good-bye. Busy morning in the office. Haenggi came in to say
he would like the fort so if it can be arranged we shall save some more money. Haenggi asked to be allowed to see
over it which I am arranging. He wants to get married at once but has not given notice to the Agency, there is also
some hitch about their being American. Forgot to go to the Mission but went out a drive with the dogs and then went
in to the Holmes' she seems resigned about staying, dined with Prior to meet two engineers going to Katif to put up
wireless for Ibn Saoud. An awful couple of stiffs, one a big fellow with a beard, the other short and rather like Steele
only older. They had been in all sorts of places all over the world, one of them knew Cairo well and was there in the
war. Ibn Saoud seems always to get bad types of Englishmen to do any jobs for him. I disliked one of them extremly
and the other only a little less. The big man, though a stiff, had been at quite a proper school and had a decent name,
Boicicaut or something like that.

Wednesday [27 April]

Went down to see the Shaikh before Joint Court to show him the letter I had written for him about the oil business, he
gave his opinion but asked for advice from the Colonial Office. Steele came in, also Ashraf and various other people.
In the afternoon I went a drive and then in to the D.G.s, have not been in there for ages which they pointed out to me.
She has been ill and is now talking of perhaps going home earlier, she has done all her packing so as to be able to go at
once if she wants to. Terry came in and we played Bridge. Rather boring. I seem to see very little of the white people
now.

Thursday 27th April 1932

Hot day, south wind but shamaal in the evening which turned very damp and sticky. I had issued a notice calling for
recruits for the Police so the doctor and I went up to the Fort in the morning and looked over them. There were about
100 men but most of them Persians and on the whole rather a poor weedy lot, out of them we picked seven, three of the
seven being blacks and the other local Arabs. Then came back and after breakfast we had a special meeting of Meglis
Tajara and some other people not on it to go into various matters. A very good meeting, decided the Selaf which is to
be the same as the last Tesquam, 30/- and 25/- and 15/- for Kharjieh, in the middle of the season. It is little but I dont
believe the naukhudas could stand more. We also discussed a lot of other things. Cooler day. Gardened in the
afternoon. Three of the dahlias are in flower, very pretty colours, I hear they are much admired by people who visit the
garden. After dinner went over to the Agency. Prior wants to have a party for Holmes, Arabs etc, to tell them he is
staying on, before she goes, also to show off his garden to the Arabs!! The Shia Kadi told me he didnt like the Agency
garden as it was so sunny and no trees. Cooler day but still about 86. Ghulum returned very grandly dressed. Heard a
great deal of chaffing going on in the kitchen. He dressed like one of the Khunjis, a coloured turban and a long coat
and an abba.

Friday [28 April]