Bahrain Agency, Confidential Office Information Files

The thirteen surviving Information Files contain correspondence, reports and guidance relating to the following topics: British intelligence gathering in the Middle East, 1939-1943; the monitoring of anti-British news reporting in Arabic newspapers and radio broadcasts in the Gulf States, 1934-1948; documentary film making and other publicity projects in the Gulf States, 1940s; public information services in Bahrain and support for a proposed Bahrain Government printing press and state broadcasting service, 1948; the appointment of a Publicity Officer in the Persian Gulf, 1941; British propaganda plans for Persia and proposed reorganisation of the Public Relations Bureau, Tehran, 1945; guidance to British officials in the Gulf States about making public statements on current events in the Middle East, particularly French negotiations with the Levant States in 1945 and British recognition of the Emirate of Cyrenaica (eastern Libya) in 1949.

The Information Files form a separate category within the Confidential Office Series. They are arranged by their Information File number, which provides a predominantly chronological file order. Information File numbers begin with the subject number '4', followed by an oblique stroke and the individual file number, for example, 4/1. A few of the surviving Information Files belonged originally to the main Confidential office Series, in one of the following subject categories: 1A (Administration - Political), 1B (Administration – General) or 2 (Books and Publications). In the case of subject number 1A, this was written on the file cover as '1.a', followed by an oblique stroke and the file number. For example, 1.a/46. In the catalogue record for each renumbered file, its former Confidential Office File number appears in brackets. For example, Information File 4/1 (1.a/46). The Information Files have no relation to the Confidential Office Files about Bahrain, where the subject number '4' represents the subject category 'Bahrain State'. For example, Confidential Office File 4/1 is a file about Bahrain public finances.

Unrestricted

The British Residency and Agencies in the Persian Gulf, including the Bahrain Agency, consulted regularly about negative publicity and anti-British propaganda circulating in the Gulf States in Arabic newspapers and on radio. The Political Agent, Bahrain was required to submit regular intelligence reports and news summaries to his superiors, as well as actively promote British interests by providing public information services to Bahrainis. This was done in cooperation with the Publicity Officer in the Persian Gulf and the Adviser to the Bahrain Government. The Political Agent, Bahrain also received information and guidance circulated by the British Government to its officials throughout the Middle East, relating to British propaganda plans and making public statements about British foreign policy in the region.