IOR/R/15/2/1440

British officials in Bahrain and other Arab Gulf States received information at regular intervals about the regulations imposed on pilgrims travelling to the Hejaz, by the Saudi Arabian Government. This information enabled the British authorities to make the necessary administrative arrangements for the many Arab and Indian pilgrims in their territories wishing to travel to Saudi Arabia.

The first document in the file (folio 2) is a circulation slip dated 3 August 1941, indicating that the Political Agent, Bahrain sent copies of the Pilgrimage Tariff and Guide Book for the 1941-1942 pilgrimage, to the following Bahrain and British officials: Adviser to the Bahrain Government; Publicity Officer in the Persian Gulf, Bahrain; Residency Agent, Sharjah. A copy of the Pilgrimage Tariff and Guide Book, which was published annually by the Government of Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is not enclosed in the file.

The main documents in the file are: two telegrams from the Charge d’Affaires, British Consul, Jeddah, 1947 and 1949; a memorandum from the Political Agent, Bahrain, 1949, to the Adviser to the Bahrain Government and the Clerk-in-Charge, British Residency, Sharjah. These contain the following information about the Saudi Arabian Government’s modifications to the pilgrimage tariff for 1947 and 1949: the requirements for pilgrims to keep receipts for all fees, dues and transport costs; to travel in one class of transport within Saudi Arabia; the exemption from fees for pilgrim children, introduced in 1947.