The Clayton Mission to Sana'a, Yemen

A display board with six photographs (b/w, taken by Colonel M C Lake) adhered, documenting Sir Gilbert Clayton's first formal call on the Imam. With captions, in copperplate hand, as follows:

1. "The arrival of the Mission in Sana. The crowd proceeding[,] the troops marching back to barracks, with bands playing. The whole garrison was drawn up outside the town. Outside the Bab-al-Yuhud (Gate of the Jews) by which one enters Sana from Hodeida. Taken from our Residence."

2. "The Imam (in carriage) returning to his Palace (on extreme left) after paying a visit to the Theological College. He is crossing the Parade Ground and about to go through the Bab-as-Saba (or Sabean Gate) which leads to the Arab quarters or Santa proper. This was taken from the Residence of Sir Gilbert Clayton's Mission, with a Tele-lens."

3. "The Residence of the Mission overlooking the Parade Ground. In the foreground two of our permanent guard."

4. "Taken from my bedroom window with a Tele-lens. Zeidi troops drilling. Note the soldier aiming off a tripod in the background. The blossom on the left is Apricot."

5. "Part of the Imam's Army escorting the Imam back to his Palace from the Mosque on a Friday."

6. "Street outside Imam's Palace lined with troops on the occasion of the Mission's first visit to the Imam."

See John Shipman, "The Clayton Mission to Sana'a of 1926," Journal of the British-Yemeni Society (July 2001), on-line at: http://www.al-bab.com/bys/Default.htm. Five of the photographs captioned above (excluding number 4) are available on-line at: http://www.al-bab.com/bys/articles/shipman01pix.htm.