| Description | Typed transcript of pp.1-46 of Belgrave's diary for 1 January to 30 April 1948. (Pages 25-27, for 1-8 March, missing.) Topics covered include a New Year 'meglis' (gathering) held by Sheikh Sulman at the cinema in Jufair (1 January), showing of a film of last November's royal wedding on board the HMS Norfolk (11 January), visit from Anthony Eden - then deputy leader of the Conservatives and held in high regard in the region (13-14 January), installation of cat's-eyes on some Bahrain roads (14 January), cinema visits (23 January, 6, 12, 28 April), visit from diplomat Harold Caccia (28 January), death of Gandhi (31 January), Belgrave's criticism of Sheikh Sulman's use of state funds for family allowances (7 February), improvements at the mental asylum (10 February), visit to Max and Leila Thornburg (12 February), visit from Colonel Clear, the Middle East representative of Merlin engineers (19-20, 22 February), murder of the Iman of the Yemen (21 February), list of garden flowers (19 March), visit from John Troutbeck of the Foreign Office (21, 25 March), look at the new hospital (29 March), meeting of pearl merchants with news of exports to India (6 April), trip out to Jidda and Om al Nasan (23 April) and a day at the races (30 April) |