IOR/R/15/2/1276

The file contains correspondence relating to the celebrations surrounding the anniversary of Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah's [Shaikh Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah] accession as ruler of Bahrain. The correspondence is between the following:

• the Political Agency in Bahrain;
• Shaikh Hamad himself and many of his family members;
• Charles Dalrymple Belgrave, Adviser to the Government of Bahrain;
• Claud Cranbrook Lewis DeGrenier, Director of Customs and Port Officer in Bahrain;
• numerous notables of Manama and Muharraq, such as Yusuf Ahmad Kanoo, Yousuf Abdulrehman Fakhroo, and Abdulaziz Alqosaibi & Bros;
• the Manama and Muharraq Municipalities;
• Cartier Limited, the jewellers;
• numerous foreign residents of Bahrain.

The file covers the anniversary celebrations for each year between 1934 and 1941 and includes:

• correspondence relating to the arrangements for several events, including a fancy dress football match, a tea party held by the Political Agent, a sports day held by the Bahrain Police, and a reception held by the Manama Municipality;
• letters of invitation and letters of acceptance, in English and Arabic (some without translations);
• documents such as notices of office closures, invoices for the printing of invitation cards (from Cartier Limited), programmes for the celebrations, and lists of invitees;
• correspondence relating to other matters such as the purchase of rice and the decision to revert to the Gregorian calendar (from the Hijri) to calculate the timing of the anniversary;
• the Political Agent, Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Gordon Loch's report on the 1936 celebrations (folios 162-72);
• the programme for Shaikh Hamad's visit to Edinburgh in 1936 (it is likely this has been included in the file by mistake).

Folios 284-328 are internal office notes.