Everybody knows that prosperity of Qatar depends on oil. The most important of natural resources that nature has bestowed upon it. But I bet on that most people, at least the expatriates, do not know that when and how this was discovered. They have no idea what hard work and patience is involved in its discovery.
But now we have a special museum dedicated to the fascinating story of the discovery of oil. That museum is based in a traditional building, that has recently been restored in the heart of the city and is called Company House. It was here that the foundations of Qatar's oil industry were laid down, an industry which gave birth to the modern state of Qatar. It is located in the newly developed Msheireb area, at 25°17'14.41"N, 51°31'44.74"E.
Company House (03.04.2019.)
Company House - The Main Entrance (03.04.2019.)
Huge Wooden Gate (03.04.2019.)
Entrance to the galleries (03.04.2019.)
A view of the compound. (03.04.2019.)
A row of rooms in the company house on the northern side. (21.02.2019.)
A beautiful section of the house, now being used as a cafe. (21.02.2019.)
Another view of the cafe. (03.04.2019.)
Looking towards the south, the main entrance. (03.04.2019.)
The main entrance of the Company House, from inside. (21.02.2019.)
International KB8 Truck. Used in the early days of exploration. (21.02.2019.)
International KB8 Truck. Used in the early days of exploration. (21.02.2019.)
Outside the Company House. (21.02.2019.)
The significance of this house
The building has long been a landmark in the Msheireb neighborhood. Hussain Al Naama, the manager of Doha Port, built the house in for his family in the late 1920s. The Anglo-Persian Oil Company (commonly referred to simply as "the Company") rented the building in 1935 and used "Company House" as its headquarters for the next two decades. The discovery and exploitation of Qatar's petroleum has its origin here.
The writer. (03.04.2019.)
Company House
Welcome to Company House. From the late 1930s onwards, Qatari men used to gather outside this historic building, to be taken on arduous truck journeys to the desert oil fields of the western part of the country. There they undertook exhausting manual work, in difficult living conditions, for the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, a British business that had been awarded an exclusive contract to discover and extract petroleum in Qatar. The men returned here a month later to be paid a subsistence salary. After just one day with their families they returned to Company House to be transported to the fields once again.
This museum is dedicated to those pioneering Qataris who threw themselves bravely into working for the future of their country. It celebrates their endurance, self-sacrifice, and commitment. It tells their stories - through their eyes and in their own words.
The above two pictures of the first gallery, which gives the timeline of the exploration and extraction of oil in Qatar. For the convenience of my readers, I have written below all the information given on the panels in this gallery.
Timeline: Discovery, Struggle, and Persistence
Since its first recorded use in the construction of the towers of Babylon, over 4,000 years ago, petroleum has, in one form or another, been important to the technology, economy, and politics of societies across the world.
The demand for oil during the twentieth century rose with the invention of the internal combustion engine, the growth of commercial aviation, and an increased dependence on plastics. The United States, Canada and Russia were the main sources of petroleum in the first half of the twentieth century. Today, however, two-thirds of the world's accessible reserves come from Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
To some, the presence of petroleum in Qatar suggests a wealth that was easily won. Yet this country's success in discovering and extracting oil was never guaranteed. It is a complex story of a nation that managed with instinctive foresight to protect its resources from the self-interest of the world's great economic powers. It is also a straightforward story of a small country that lifted itself from poverty through the hard work, perseverance, and courage of ordinary men.
Here we trace pivotal events that led Qatar to prosperity.
Despair - Decades Before Discovery
Seamen used the timber from the boats for firewood and sold their diving tools in the souq. Many such turned to breaking stones and selling them to Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim. A thousand stones would earn only two rupees. Life was hard and most Qataris were poor and constantly hungry.
JASSIM QROUN, AN OIL-INDUSTRY PIONEER
Before the discovery of oil, Qatar was a maritime nation that depended upon trading, fishing, and the hunting of natural pearls for its main sources of revenue. The country was hit hard, by the economic recession that followed the First World War (1914 to 1918), the great depression of 1929 and, crucially, the popularity of the cultured pearl, which was developed commercially in Japan in the 1930s. On the eve of the Secon World War (1939 to 1945), Qatar was country in poverty and little hope.
"Tabah" The year of drowning
Several buildings and mud huts were swept away by the cyclone of October. Considerable loss of life occurred on the pearl fishing fleet which was partially swept away. HMS Cyclamen immediately went to the rescue and saved a number of men clinging to floating wreckage. The number of those perished is still uncertain.
THE BARRIER MINER, AUSTRALIA, OCTOBER 27, 1925.
Pearling was a dangerous occupation and pearlers constantly risked injury or death. One autumn night in 1925, a particularly severe storm left a trail of destruction. The Qatari storyteller Ali bin Kahmis was caught in the storm and and remembered the floating remains of boats that had collided and shattered. It is estimated that 80 percent of boats - from Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar - were sunk and that as many as 5,000 men perished. The disaster was so significant it passed into Qatari folklore and became known as "Year of Drowning".
Hope
The forecast of the prospects at Qatar is very poor and a proliferous development in the underlying Cretaceous rocks is extremely doubtful . . . if Bahrain be drilled and proved successful, similar conditions may obtain in Qatar.
G.M. LEES, GEOLOGIST, APOC, 1926
The possibility of drilling for oil in Qatar has been discussed since the early 1920s. In 1926, the British Anglo-Persian Oil Company, (APOC) sent one of its geologists, G.M. Lees, to Qatar to report on whether there might be oil reserves on the peninsula.
Qataris' doubts
When I first heard about oil before the war, I didn't think about it. I did expect that there would be some changes but didn't foresee that they would be as momentous as they have been. I imagined that a school would be built and that people would live differently because they would all be earning more money. In the days before oil we only imported food and some material. Nobody at that time would have dreamt of bringing in furniture.
A FORMER QATARI GOVERNMENT WORKER
One Qatari who lived in Al Khor and who worked for the oil company as a young man remembered. We were told that the oil was black gold when we asked what it was. We had no inkling of how it would change our lives. In the past, the kind of oil we knew was different. We used to catch a big fish, take out its liver and from this we extracted oil to paint our ships. We did not know about the oil of which they spoke ... At the time we were all working as watchmen for three-quarters of a rupee per day. When the pipelines were extended and big ships came to take the oil away, only then did we feel that our lives would change.
Celebration
Petroleum Development Qatar have had slight show of oil in their test well near Zikrit. Drilling continues.
TELEGRAM SENT BY THE BRITISH POLITICAL AGENCY IN BAHRAIN ON OCTOBER 11, 1939.
Jassim Qroun remembers the moment of discovery. The Iraqi, Muhammad Ali, used to make fun of us. 'You Qataris don't have any oil,' he used to say, 'there's no point in flogging yourselves to death for nothing.' Suddenly, without any warning, the rig erupted while we were still on it. Instantly we were covered in mud and oil from head to foot. People came running, thinking we had been killed in an explosion, but by the grace of God we were upwind and most of the stuff, which poured out of the top, was carried away from us. There was no way we could control the eruption because we had not finished removing all the drill pipes. Gingerly we made our way to ground level, where Mr. Langham [the site geologist] was waiting for us. He took us into a room to recover. After a while the pressure in the well eased a little and oil began to emerge. Langham was licking his oil-covered hands in sheer elation.
Disappointment
We were just about to begin work on the fourth well when the Second World War interrupted. The company provided underground air-raid shelters for us. We were told to get underground quickly if we heard the sound of airplanes or any strange noises.
JASSIM BIN MUHAMMAD JABER AL NAAMEH, AN OIL-INDUSTRY PIONEER
On June 28, 1942, the Company halted its Qatari operations, claiming that the war was disrupting the flow of supplies and services. The three appraisal wells were camouflaged with concrete, stones, and mud.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, ruler of Qatar, received a letter from the British Political Agent in Bahrain on July 3, 1942, advising him, As a result of the war, his Majesty's Government has found it necessary to direct the Oil Company to suspend its operations in your territory. This order is absolutely necessary, though I am afraid it will not be welcomed by you .... I am sorry that my first visit to Qatar should be in connection with an unfortunate matter such as this, but it cannot be helped. Sometimes the news is good, sometimes it is bad. Everything is in God's hand.
Qatari workers were deeply disappointed. After all their hopes for a better life they had no alternative but to return to making a meager living from the sea or, as was the case for many, to emigrate in pursuit of work.
Revival
The war ended in 1945, and the British returned a year later. The waters of Zikrit were too shallow for the oil tankers so a new export terminal was constructed at Umm Said, south of Doha. A basic road and a pipeline were laid through the desert to connect Dukhan to Umm Said. Qatari workers created this infrastructure despite the harsh environment, poor working conditions, and inadequate food rations.
On December 31, 1949, the first shipment of oil left Umm Said. Oil-company executives arranged lavish celebrations at the oil terminal to commemorate the auspicious event.
Endurance
In the 1950s, Qatar's oil industry rapidly expanded as new rigs sprang up across the Dukhan oilfields. The first offshore exploration concessions were awarded to the Shell Overseas Exploration Company in 1952. But continued success demanded continued sacrifice. When Shell's first offshore drilling platform, Qatar 1, was destroyed by a storm, in late-1956, many Qatar workers lost their lives.
In 1959, Sheikh Ali Bin Abdullah Al Thani, ruler of Qatar, inaugurated a new platform, Seashell, and within a year oil was discovered in the Idd Al Sharqi field off the east coast of Doha. Oil revenues began to pour in. All efforts were beginning to pay off. In 1961, Qatar became a member of the elite Organization of the Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Progress
From the 1960s, Qatari authorities sought to achieve their long-term ambition: national control of their oil. Political changes and rapid economic growth in the region secured independence for many of the Gulf's protectorates. Qatar became and independent sovereign state in 1971. Three years later, the Qatar General Petroleum Company was formed. By 1977, Qatar General Petroleum Company and Shell Qatar Ltd., had been fully nationalized to become Qatar Petroleum. Qatar's oil and gas were at long last owned and managed by the nation.
With the discovery of the North Field in 1971,natural gas steadily began to outstrip oil as Qatar's principal export. The Qatargas company was set up in 1984 and the first shipment of liquid natural gas was delivered to Japan in 1996.
A room, where different items under the use of earlier employees are on display.
An outside view of the hall, where stories and documents of pioneers are on display.
My friend Muhammad Farooq in the main gallery. (21.02.2019.)
In the first gallery, besides the panels, multimedia screens also have been used to display information and pictures about the early period of oil exploration. I wondered for a while how to scroll the pictures. No button or touch screen option was available. Then I just turned the valve given below the screen and to my surprise it worked and I could scroll the pictures, right or left.
British Petroleum map of Qatar showing oil pipeline routes across Qatar and the area governed by the Concession Agreement, c. 1950s
The first British headquarters in Qatar were at Company House in Doha. A 1935 inventory included office equipment, domestic items, cooking utensils, an air-conditioning unit, and an electricity generator.
Extract from the text of the "Notes on the Qatar Concession", illustrating the protracted and difficult nature of the negotiations, 1926.
An extract from the text of the official Qatar Concession document, 1926.
Preparation work underway for Qatar's first oil well in 1938.
The steelwork for the first rig in 1938 is erected at Dukhan in 1938.
Rig number 1, Dukhan 1938
The first production test at Dukhan in 1940.
Unloading vital supplies at Zekrit port in the early 1940s
Workers laying the pipeline infrastructure for the export terminal at Umm Said, 1949.
Sheikh Ali, the former Emir of Qatar, photographed at the Umm Said, celebration of 1950.
Workers' accommodation, date unknown
Workers watch as a pipe is laid down, c. 1950s
An aerial view of Umm Said showing the network of pipelines spreading out across the sand, 1953
Engineer and labourer in Dukha, c. 1950s
The pumping and Degassing Station at Jaleha, 1955
View across the pipelines to the Power Station and Pump House at Fahahil, 1955
Distillation plants viewed from the Dolphin Jetty at Umm Said, c. 1950s
Detailed view of the powerful pumping machinery at Umm Said, c. 1950s
The raised storage tanks at Umm Said, 1955
The cable trench at the east side "tank farm" Umm Said, 1955.
Sheikh Ali, the former Emir of Qatar, visits the oil workers and drilling rigs, c. 1950s
View of an oil tanker moored off the coast at Umm Said, 1955
A drilling rig at Dukhan, c. 1959
Qatar Petroleum's off shore oil rig with accommodation units, c. 1970s
A times article from 2nd January, 1957, recounts the toll taken by a storm off the Gulf
Oil tanker at Umm Said, 1971
An aerial image of Umm Said port, c. 1970s
Rig workers pose for a photograph, c. 1970s
Map of Qatar's extensive onshore and offshore petroleum infrastructure, 2009
Diagram illustrating the increase in Qatar's crude oil production, 1949 - 2010.
Diagram illustrating the increase in Qatar's natural gas production, 1980 - 2011.
Diagram illustrating the growth in Qatar's economy(known as Gross Domestic Product), 1970 - 2011.
Diagram illustrating the increase in Qatar's population, 1960 - 2011.
The Courtyard: Life as a Worker
In this courtyard we hear Qatari workers talk about their daily working life. Before the nationalization of oil, Qataris worked under British bosses and Indian supervisors as laborers, riggers, drivers, mechanics, carpenters, and firemen, changing positions as requirements altered. Their employment terms and working conditions were inferior to those of other Company employees. Although their leisure time was limited, Qataris found ways to maintain their spirit.
Above is the room, where many old items under the use of early-days staff are on display.
The type F field telephone was used in Company House offices in the lates 1930s during the early stages of the discovery of the Dukhan oilfields. (03.04.2019.)
The Royal typewriter was used extensively in the oil industry during the 1940s. Qatar Petroleum gave typewriting training courses to many young Qatari staff.
The FACIT calculator was used in Qatar Petroleum in the 1960s and was the primary office tool on an employee's desk.
This mechanical calculator was used in the 1930s by staff in the finance department during the early discoveries of the oil fields.
This phone is of a famous style that was used widely in Qatar's home and offices in 1940s.
This pair of binoculars dates to 1932. Binoculars proved very useful for surveying prospective oil field in the early stages of the discovery of the Dukhan oil fields.
This brass compass was made in 1949. Compass like this were used in the mapping of the oil fields.
Different items for personal use.
Items related to sports.
Items related to recreation and entertainment.
The first open air cinema in Qatar was located in Dukhan for the pioneers to enjoy. 16mm short films were shown on the cinema's wide screen.
This A724 Limited Edition radion from the 1950s was special for its use of three wavelengths.
Probably a camera.
A reproduction 1950s leather football. British workers would commonly play football after work for fun.
International KB8 Truck model. The truck transported the pioneers to the Dukhan oil fields.
The electrical generator "Biston" was one of the first generators that entered Qatar in 1937. It was shipped from UK, and located in the "Electrical Room" which was north-west corner of Company House in that period of time. Later, the generator was maintained by Mr Nasser Al Othman who donated it to Msheireb Museum.
Pictures of employees busy in their work.
An archive of documents related to the development of the oil industry.
A radio in the archive room.
Although the West provided the technology required for its search and extraction, oil was secured as much through the hard work and commitment of the Company's Qatari workforce. Through their labor these men hoped to build a society in which all Qataris might enjoy a life free of the poverty they had endured for so long.
In this gallery we pay tribute to those men who worked hard to secure a better future for themselves, their families, and their country.
Hassan Kali
Threat of a strike
Hassan joined the company before the war. He was retained to work in Company House as a "boy", and in 1946 became a "coolie" in Dukhan. He taught himself to drive by observing a friend who later became a driver. His salary soon reached 90 rupees a month, a fortune to someone used to so little. However, things were not always good at the Company and labor discontent sometimes threatened to halt production as Hassan records:
When I rejoined the Company after the resumption in 1946, the food rations were totally inadequate and some of our group were threatening to go on strike. But we said 'why go on strike? Let's go and talk to the quartermaster, an Indian, called Mr Dass. So we complained to Mr Dass and the English bosses came to inspect our rations and saw that they were really pretty appalling and they made arrangements to improve our food immediately. But we decided to do something about the situation by ourselves and whenever we went to Doha we would buy meat or fish with our own money and cook it to eat with the rice provided.
Hassan left the Company after six years and went to work as a driver, first for the Darwish Company and then for the Ministry of Information. Hassan's observation speaks for all Qataris who helped to build the nation's petroleum industry; I now work for a government department, thanks be to God, but we deserve whatever we get because we have worked long and hard for our country.
Muhammad Bin Muhammad Muftah
Driver
Muhammad began work in the Company as a telephonist. Needing to remember only a few telephone numbers and armed with a little English, he found himself a comfortable job working on an eight-hour shift and earning 30 rupees a month.
During the war Muhammad did what he could to survive. First he went pearling and at the end of the season went to Bahrain to work in the Bahrain Petroleum Company's laundry. He went to work as a watchman at a Bahraini oil refinery and took the opportunity on Fridays to learn to drive the cars he was guarding.
Returning to Qatar in 1946, he was soon driving workers from Doha to the oilfields in Dukhan and Umm Said. He recalls, When the Company brought in some really big vehicles, they also brought in some English drivers thinking that we Arabs would not be able to hand the big trucks. In the event, however, it was the English who proved incapable of handling these monsters on the rough desert tracks so the experienced Qatari drivers like Bu Abbas . . . drove them with us as their deputies.
Muhammad left the company to undertake a number of jobs in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Jassim Bin Qroun
Rigger
Jassim was descended from two generations of water-well diggers and he spent his youth as a pearl diver.
As soon as I was considered big enough, I became pearl diver. My father died when I was in my mid-twenties and I became family breadwinner ... As time went by the pearl-fishing industry declined until there were only handful of boat owners involved ... I joined the Company. Like everyone else, I badly needed a job.
After applying many times, Jassim was eventually hired to help build the harbor in Zikrit, dumping stones into the sea and then diving to put them in place. He was soon involved in the construction of oil rigs. He was promoted to foreman but suffered lifelong injuries in a fall from a platform and, when the war stopped operations, was among the first to be laid off.
Like many others, Jassim left Qatar in search of work. He settled in Saudi Arabia, staying there for 22 years, and returned to Qatar later in life to work in construction.
Hussein bin Hussein Jaber
Bu Abbas
Hussein bin Hussein Jaber, known by all as Bu Abbas, was perhaps the Company's best-known employee. He began his working life as an oarsman on a dhow. Arriving one day in Bahrain, he encountered motor cars for the first time. Bu Abbas paid 40 rupees (well over a month's wages) for driving lessons because he felt he should learn to drive on land as well as on the sea.
Bu Abbas started work for the Company driving geologists around the desert in a large Morris loaded with camping equipment and provisions. However, it was as the first driver of the Company's international truck that he made his name. Employees had mixed feelings about the safety of the 'Internash' and nicknamed it salim khatar - the safe menace. The occasional driving lapses of Bu Abbas did little to settle their nerves. Workers would express their concerns in a song: I hope the Internash does not come. Who is the driver? Bu Abbas!
Bu Abbas left the Company to return to his first love, boats. Working for the ruler of Qatar, he invested his salary and eventually owned a fleet of 14 small boats that operated from Doha Port.
Thamir Muftah
Tireless
Thamir spent his youth at sea with the pearl-fishing fleet. Well regarded by all, he was known for his honesty, sincerity, and loyalty.
He was one of many young Qataris who began working with the Company when it returned to Qatar, in 1946. Starting as a coolie within the store, he was transferred to the harbor, where he carried heavy goods from the boats to lorries and warehouses. He worked tirelessly, undertaking backbreaking and relentlessly monotonous work.
While working at an electricity station at Umm Bab, he fell from the top of a ladder and suffered a foot injury, which never quite healed. Thamir was made redundant in 1964 and became a muezzin and caretaker of a mosque.
Jassim bin Muhammad Jaber Al Naameh
The Lion
Jassim began work as a sailor for Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani during the pearling season. The ruler was instrumental in helping Jassim find employment with the Company.
Jassim first transported water to Company House from a spring in Al Kharitiyat. During the Second World War, he guarded the Company's property and was part of a small crew that prepared Company House for the return of the British management. Quick to learn, he became the first Qatari to operated the newly installed generator at Company House - the first of its kind in Qatar.
Jassim was involved in setting up many exploratory rigs and was present when appraisal rig number 1 struck oil. He played a heroic role in fighting a major fire that destroyed rig number 35 in 1953. Strong and patient, he was known to his colleagues as Al Saba, the lion.
Jassim worked for the Company for 31 years but was made redundant in 1970. He did not retire but instead went to work for the Port Authority. For him older folk who have served the country all our life are still eager to work and even to work overtime. A retirement pension is too small ... it is not enough.
Ibrahim bin Saleh Bu Matar Al Muhannadi
A good omen
Ibrahim started working for the Company in 1937. He began working at the lowest level as a "boy" or general servant, then was promoted to "coolie", and later to "houseboy". When operations were suspended in 1942, he sought work in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia but was the first to be re-employed when works resumed. Ibrahim left the Company in 1950.
Mansour bin Khalil Al Hajiri
The visionary
Mansour was the first Qatari to be employed by the Company. He was appointed the Company's guide because of his exceptional vision and a photographic recollection of seemingly every inch of the Peninsula. A geologist remarked, He seems to have a mental map of the country and can find his way to any place, whether in a heat haze, fog or even in total darkness.
Trusted, popular and widely respected throughout the Company, Mansour was also head of the Company's guards and always carried a weapon when on duty.
Mansour eventually lost his sight but could identify his friends merely by shaking their hands. He died in Beirut in 1972 and was survived by five sons and three daughters.
ID cards and driving licence of Mr Jaber Yaqoub
Mr Abdullah bin Jafaar Al Maseeh and items from 25th service ceremony - his engraved gold Rolex watch, his gold cufflinks with the Company logo.
Driving licence of Mr Jassim Naimah.
A group of Company employees.
A rare photograph of Mansur bin Khalil taken in 1933 before he lost his eyesight
The photgraphs from the 1930s to 1950s show Mansour Bin Khalil Al Hajri working as the Company guide.
In recognition of his honesty, the Company entrusted him with guarding the equipment during WWII.
(With thanks to the family of Mansour Bin Khalil Al Hajri)
Company loan forms of Jaber bin Yaqoub bu Shawarab between 1950s and 1970s. The Company gave loans to the employees to assist in life's challenges.
(With thanks to Jaber Bin Yaqoub Bu Shawarab)
A map of Qatar from 1952 by the Company in cooperation with pioneers who passed on their local knowledge of the landscape. A photograph of Jaber Bin Yaqoub Bu Shawarab seated in top of a truck with the first benzene shipment to Doha.
(With thanks to Nasser Al Othman)
According to Mohammed Muftah, his salary was 30 silver Indian Rupees, shown here from the reign of George VI. Each employee gave a fingerprint to receive their salary.
A photograph showing the Company manager Dickson's wife and daughter with Abdulla Bin Jafaar Al Maseeh.
(With thanks to the family of Abdullah Bin Jafaar Al Maseeh)
The pioneers diligently worked to maintain and improve their skills thoughout their working lives. Here is an Arabic to English dictionary used by Abdullah Bin Jafaar Al Maseeh to learn in England, as well as a tool tray for he often used during maintenance, whether at work or beyond.
(With thanks to the family of Abdullah Bin Jafaar Al Maseeh)
Mr Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Hitmi, in his official uniform as a firefighter at Qatar Petroleum Production Authority. He was responsible for the safety and fighting fires in oil wells and petroleum products processing factory.
Work permits of Mr Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Hitmi: first work permit was from the 1940s of Mr Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Hitmi with employment number 4419 was for his work at the petroleum plant. Second permit was from the 1950s refers to his work at the natural gas plant and gas storage facility and Mesaieed Industrial Area. Third work permit was from 1960s refers to his work as a firefighter at the Qatar Petroleum Production Authority.
(With thanks to Mr Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Hitmi & his sons)
This shows the company's director "Arthur G" honoring Mr Jabr bin Rashid Al Naimi for his heroic efforts as the first to reach the explosion in "oil well 55" in Dukhan on May 1973.
Mr Jabr bin Rashid Al Naimi appears at the company's laboratories along with others working in the oil fields.
At the "Ceremony of the Pioneer's Day", Mr Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Hitmi was honored by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir in the late 1970s.
(With thanks to Mr Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Hitmi & his sons)
A few buttons, a hat and a whistle from the firefighter uniform that belonged to Mr Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Hitmi in his role as "firefighter". After 1945 and at end of World War II, all civil defence in relation to British Oil Companies came under the direct management of Biritish under the name of "BUTTONS ALL BIRMINGHAM".
(With thanks to Mr Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Hitmi & his sons)
Two stories on the history of the discovery of oil in the newspapers.
There is another gallery, which though not related to oil or its discovery in Qatar, but provides information about UNESCO; world heritage sites.
When I first read about the Company House my thought about drifted towards the East India Company, the company which ruled south Asian countries for a long time. Though I knew of no connection between Qatar and EIC, but my doubts were cleared onlt when I visited this house.
Amount of the cheque is Rs 5,916,108/- (From Bin Jelmood House)
The story of the discovery of oil in Qatar is very fascinating and this museum tells us the same story. It tells us about life before and after the discovery of oil in Qatar and the long struggle of the people of this country to bring prosperity to their society. As per IMF, with per capita income of around $130,000 Qatar ranks first in the list of countries according to the per capita income. This remarkable achievement was indeed a combination of human efforts and hard work and the blessing of God. A must visit for people interested in the history of Qatar to understand this very important phase that catapulted Qatar to this modern age and unprecedented prosperity.
Tariq Amir
April 14, 2019.
Doha - Qatar.
