IOR/R/15/2/1200-1312

The Bahrain State files of the Political Agency, Bahrain cover a range of matters connected to the running of the state in Bahrain, such as education, public works, road building, policing, marine regulations, customs, agriculture, personnel, municipal matters, state finances, public health, driving regulations, telecommunications, water supply, state visits, urban planning, land and property, population censuses, arms purchases, prisons, and other miscellaneous matters. Many of the files are short in length and deal with a single specific issue, such as applications for monopolies and the discovery of minerals. Some files contain collections of public notices issued by the state on a range of subjects.

The Bahrain State files coincide with the instalment of a British adviser to the Bahrain Government (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave) in 1926 and much of the correspondence is between the Political Agency and the adviser. All matters concerning the state and its administration were dealt with through Belgrave's office. Other correspondents include the Political Residency in the Persian Gulf, Government of India, members of the ruling Al Khalifah family, employees of the state, local merchants and citizens, national and multinational corporations, and numerous political and military offices in the region.