JEDDAH, 2 July — The late King Abdul Aziz and Britain’s wartime leader Winston Churchill had a historic meeting in 1945 when the end of the World War II was in sight. The British prime minister presented the founder of modern Saudi Arabia a customized Rolls Royce.
In 1921, as secretary of state for the British colonies, Churchill had convened the famous Cairo conference where many of today’s Middle East boundaries were drawn.
Twenty-four years later the Saudi and British leaders met in Egypt, at the Auberge du Lac in Fayyum, where Churchill hosted a magnificent reception. King Abdul Aziz presented the British premier with water from Makkah, described by Churchill in his memoirs as the “most delicious I’ve ever tasted.” Churchill was also given robes, a jeweled sword, a dagger and diamond rings. On his part, he advised the king of a forthcoming present from Britain: a Rolls Royce, customized for the royal use with “every comfort for peace and security.”
Although from very different backgrounds, the two leaders had many qualities in common and admired each other greatly.
A photograph of the king with Churchill is prominent among a dozen huge images at an exhibition titled “King Abdul Aziz through British Eyes,” which was opened by Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed at Jamjoom Commercial Center in Jeddah on Saturday night. The prince also inaugurated two other shows at the same venue — one on the life and times of King Abdul Aziz, the unifier of the Kingdom, presented by the King Fahd National Library, and the other concerning endangered animal species by the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development.
The governor said the King Fahd National Library and the King Abdul Aziz Foundation for Research and Archives in particular had rendered a great service by preserving the photographs and information for posterity. He congratulated the tourism committee of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry for organizing the show as part of the ongoing Jeddah 22 summer festival.
More than five dozen photographs from the King Fahd Library give a glimpse into the life and times of King Abdul Aziz from 1907 onward. A picture attracting great attention is one taken in 1965 which shows Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah, the deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, with King Faisal, all in ihram.
The British Embassy, in collaboration with the King Abdul Aziz Foundation for Research and Archives and the British Council, has commissioned the British exhibition. It was first held in Riyadh to celebrate the centenary of the Kingdom. British Consul General Andrew Henderson and British Council Western Province Director Neville McBain, who conducted the guests on a tour of the exhibits, said the show would continue for 10 days.
Among the exhibits are images of the meetings between King Abdul Aziz and various British dignitaries including Princess Alice, countess of Athlone, in 1938, Capt. Gerald de Gaury in 1934, Gen. Sir Gilbert Clayton in 1925-28, Maj. R.E. Cheesman in 1924, Col. Harold Dickson in 1920, Col. R.E.A. Hamilton in 1917 & 1938, Harry St. John Bridger (Abdullah) Philby in 1917, Gertrude Bell in 1916, Maj. Gen. Sir Percy Cox in 1915-22, Capt. Gerard Leachman in 1912, and Capt. William Shakespeare in 1910-15.
It was Sir Andrew Ryan who presented the Knight Grand Cross, Order of the Bath, to King Abdul Aziz in 1935. While British officials such as Clayton were engaged in diplomatic initiatives, British travelers were exploring the remoter parts of the Kingdom. Bertram Thomas was the first European to cross the Empty Quarter.
King Abdul Aziz knew the Desert Eagle Owl (Bubo Ascalaphus) bird and Cheesman was able to identify it as a distinct subspecies. When Hamilton arrived in Riyadh in 1917, the mud brick buildings of the capital were neatly contained within the traditional city walls.
Philby undertook an expedition across the Empty Quarter, an arduous journey over exceptionally demanding terrain, in 1932. He covered much of the ground on foot, walking beside his camel as he searched for insects, reptiles and archeological remains.
Arriving in Riyadh in 1917 as the head of the British mission to study the situation in Najd, Philby was immediately impressed by the king. As a Muslim, Philby regularly attended the royal majlis and enjoyed privileged access to the king. An enigmatic figure, Philby occupies a central place in the history of the British ties with the king. Capt. Leachman frequently wore local dress when traveling. His Arabic was so convincing that few could tell he was a European.
The three exhibitions under one roof were termed by visitors as a welcome addition to the festival events. They are expected to be big attractions.
