'File 4/1 General Information regarding Kuwait and Hinterland' [19r] (37/474)
The record is made up of 1 file (235 folios). It was created in 1933-1948. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
Awazim, Rashaidah, Bani Khalid, Dawasir, Ajraan, Anizah and
Dhafir tribes, besides Basawiyah or Arabs from Hasa, and
Baharinah from Afe Bahrain. There are also a large number
of Persians, some Jana f at, some Jews and many negroes; also
one Christian family, a dozen Indians and one Sabian.
The Utub are the tribe to whidi the Shaikh of Kuwait belong
but they do not compreMise a very large number of families
The resident Bani Khalid belong, in part at least to the
Mahashir, Al Miqdam and Bani Nahad sections of that tribe.
More than a hundred Arab households in the town are immi
grants from Zilfi in Nejd. The Persian community, which
has increased enormously in recent years, now consists of
about 10,000 souls. Even those who are permanently settled
in Kuwait go and come freely between Kuwait and the parts
of Persia to which they originally belonged. There are over
a score of Persian merchants and many shop keepers, but the
great majority are employed as labourers. The water carry
ing trade frcm the water boats to the house is almost en
tirely in their hands. The Jana T at are a small colony of
under 200 souls; some are merchants, the others sailors and
boatmen. Many of the better class families of Kuwait will
not givj/e their daughters in marriage to them. The Jewu
number 161 souls; they have a synagogue of their own, called
a Kanisah; a few are well-do-do merchants, but the majority
are cloth-sellers and goldsmiths. The negroes are a very
conspicuous element of the population; they number over
40 00 altogether, and have social clubs of their cwrn which
are distinguished by special sky-signs; about one-third
are Matuq; or emancipated, while two-thirds are Tam-
luk or enslaved. With the exception of the
Persians, Bahrainah and some of the Hasawiyah who are
Shias, the Muhammadans of Kuwait are nearly all Sunnis.
The pilgrimage to Mecca from Kuwait i s normally made by
land, and the average annual number of pilgrims who go is
About this item
- Content
This file contains a number of reports concerning different aspects of life in Kuwait, including its geography, history, flora and fauna, weather, political administration and leading personalities. Unless otherwise stated, the reports' author is Lieutenant-Colonel Harold Richard Patrick Dickson (the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kuwait).
The reports appear as follows:
- Note on Kuwait in 1933 incorporating Geography, Administration, History and Trade (folios 2-62)
- Note on Villages of Kuwait State (folios 63-76)
- Note on the Various Districts in Kuwait, Kuwait Neutral Zone, Summan Area , Hussaim and Suda (folios 77-104)
- Notes on the "Batin" Valley, and "Dibdibba" Country (folios 105-120)
- Note on the "Shaqq" Depression (folios 121-123)
- Note on "Failakah" Island (folios 124-130)
- Note on Native Craft of Kuwait (folios 131-135)
- Note on the Prevailing Winds of Kuwait (folios 136-138)
- Note on the Different Kinds of Fish found at Kuwait (folios 139-144)
- Notes on the Drinking Water (Wells, etc) available in Kuwait Town, in Case of Military or Naval Operations (folios 145-147)
- Notes on Personalities in Kuwait (folios 148-154)
- Notes on Kuwait (folios 155-159)
- A report on Kuwait Dhows (with odd notes attached at rear) written by Alan Villiers in 1939 (folios 160-183)
- Leading Personalities of Kuwait written by Major Tom Hickinbotham in 1942 (folios 187-198)
- Who's Who in Muscat written by John Baron Howes in 1942 (folios 199-209)
- Conditions in Kuwait written by Major Maurice Patrick O'Connor Tandy in 1947 (folios 226-228)
Some of the reports contain handwritten notes in Arabic, notably when giving place names and geographical information.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (235 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 237; these numbers are written in pencil and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/5/179
- Title
- 'File 4/1 General Information regarding Kuwait and Hinterland'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:237v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence