Page 768 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Tuesday 6th December 1932

Office in morning, very busy arranging for the Durbar in the afternoon. It went off very well, it was on the
usual plan, about 200 people in the Meglis and all the Europeans and Shaikhs. The Shaikh looked very fine
in his best robes & gold sword and daggar. The P.R., P.A. were in Levée dress and officers from the sloop in
full naval dress uniform, I wore tail coat. There were about a dozen speeches but most of them short,
except the Shaikh's, which I wrote, and the Resident's. The show took about an hour and a half and there
was no hitch. The Shaikh himself looked very bored and went to sleep during some of the speeches.
Afterwards he released a pigeon and set a hawk at it for the benefit of the P.R. - a poor show as the
wretched pigeon had no chance to get away. Afterwards we all went to call at the Agency & met Mrs Fowle
& the Resident, she is a common little person & I didnt care for her, I have met him before & quite like him.
Then we went to the Russells & played Bridge and later to an official dinner at the Agency. They are having
three dinners & dividing the people up, which has already caused much discontent, with us were the
Steeles & the sister, the Skinners & Major Holmes. It was an awful entertainment, the room too cold & the
dinner extremly meagre & after dinner a tiresome game though some played Bridge. There was literally
hardly enough to eat & only a half bottle of white wine. I have never known the dinner at the Agency so
badly done. We came home hungry & bored, it was all so different to Prior's delightful parties.

Wednesday 6th [7 December]

Fort in the morning & then work in the office. In the afternoon we had our usual tennis & Bridge party, a
great many people seemed to come but with the enlarged room it is not too crowded. Loch & the Fowles
came, but did not add to the liveliness of the party. After tea I went over to the Agency for about an hour
and had a talk to Loch & the Resident. I like Fowle, though his appearance is against him, he looks dull &
heavy but actually is not. Major Holmes & the Skinners stayed on for dinner & Bridge, they didnt go till very
late though it takes an hour to get out to the oil camp where they live.

Thursday 8th [December]

Busy day in the office, in the afternoon we went a drive and then to a dinner party at the Palace, quite a
small show, only the Bahrain state officials & Major Holmes & the Agency party, an excellently cooked
dinner, two whole sheep & the usual side dishes served on a round mat on the ground as usual. It was
really very pleasant & the Shaikh seemed in good form although I had written a letter to him during the day
pointing out what a deplorable condition his money affairs were in - I heard he was annoyed about it so as
soon as I got to the Palace I asked him if he was angry but he just smiled & gave me a wink! They arranged
to go hunting tomorrow. After the dinner we went to the de Greniers & played Bridge.

Friday 9th [December]