IOR/R/15/2/963-1048

The Establishment files of the Political Agency, Bahrain cover personnel matters relating to all the members of the Agency's staff. The three personnel divisions are as follows:

• the Political Agent and Assistant Political Agent; from 1939 the Political Officer, Trucial Coast, and from 1949 the Political Officer, Qatar, both of whose duties came under the Political Agency at Bahrain; and the Public Relations Officer (also known as the Publicity Officer), Bahrain. These officials were all members ('Gazetted Officers') of the Indian Political Service;
• the Clerical Establishment consisting of all clerks serving in the English, Vernacular and Confidential Offices. They included judicial assistants, typists, stenographers and translators. Very many of them were Indians, who had worked also at the Residency in Bushire and in the other Agencies around the Persian Gulf;
• the Menial Establishment, consisting of persons working as sweepers, ferashes, drivers, gardeners, coffee-men, Agency launch crew, hospital staff, and related posts.

Thus, there are chronologically-arranged series of files relating to the holders of the posts of Political Agent, Assistant Political Agent, and Political Officer, Trucial Coast; files relating to the holders of individual posts within the Clerical Establishment, such as Head Munshi, Second Clerk, Third Clerk, Superintendent, and Censor Clerk; and files relating to the members of Menial Establishment collectively. These all basically cover very similar matters, such as appointment and transfer, pay and allowances, travel arrangements, and leave, alongside a variety of related topics. Files relating to members of the Clerical and Menial Establishments also cover some disciplinary matters.

A series of files from 1926 to 1950 contain office orders, which set out the duties of members of the Clerical Establishment and the division of function between the English, Vernacular and Clerical Offices. Other files detail of next of kin of Gazetted Officers; the annual return and nominal rolls of the Clerical Establishment; employment black lists of former members of the clerical and menial staff; liveries worn by members of the Menial Establishment; accommodation; and the organisation of office routine.