Dubai Creek was the center of a thriving trade 1955 onwards
Foodstuffs were imported from Yemen, India, Kenya, Burma, Australia and many other countries
Dubai Creek circa 1956
Image by John Davey (Flickr)
Malcolm Jones lived and worked in Dubai in 1950s and 60s.
He had been a The British Bank of the Middle East Trainee in London office for nearly two years
He then left England for Dubai on 7 November 1957 to join BBME in Dubai.
This is Malcolm's story and photos from his time in Dubai as it used to be.
At 20 years of age, I was the second youngest Trainee to be posted to the Middle East since the end of Second World War! Normally you had to be 21! I flew on the old Britannia aircraft via Damascus to Bahrain, spent a few hours at Bahrain Airport before flying to Sharjah! My goodness, what an experience for anyone at that age?!!
I stayed at BBME's building on Dubaiside located on the edge of Dubai Creek. My bedroom was on the corner overlooking the Creek. On my second night everyone was very rudely awoken by hearing very strong winds, rain and much shouting from outside. The Bank's electricity generator stopped. We were experiencing a massive cyclone! Dhows were washed way up the Creek and much damage caused. The Souq was totally awash!!
C 
On British Bank of the Middle East's balcony of Col Kelly (Manager BBME) celebrating my 21st birthday July 1958!!
Left to right sitting Jack Warner of International Aeradio Ltd, Dr Desmond McCaully (Al Maktoum Hospital)
Standing James Commins of newly formed Eastern Bank Sharjah (later bought by Standard Chartered Bank), George Davey BBME and myself!!
Sitting Alastair Macaskill, Gray Mackenzie & Co. (now MMI) and Neville Green, Manager Eastern Bank.
Mouth of Khan Creek Sharjah, 1958 where we often went on Fridays. Some of the RAF Officers (from UK's Sharjah Airbase) would also join us. This was a great spot!
There was a deep lagoon so we took our own builders plank, drove Landrover wheels over the end to keep it firm in the sand and "Viola"! We had diving board!! Nearest Landrover belonged to Colonel Peter Lorimer, Dubai Police Chief. The other Landrover belonged to the BBME.
Today this is known as Dubai Soukh. Malcolm refers to this as Gray Mackenzie's Soukh.
Until the early 1960s, Gray Mackenzie's Manager and Office were housed in Bayt Al Wakeel building located in this Soukh. Bayt Al Wakeel was Dubai's first office building. It is now a Creekside Restaurant.
BBME always had an armed Guard seated at the entrance to BBME's building by Dubai Soukh.
The Guard was thought to be retained by Sheikh Rashid or, at least, employed on Sheikh Rashid's instructions. In latter years, the Guards always elderly and rarely moved from their chair when on duty. Armed with an ancient 303 rifle and, reputedly, issued with just one bullet, the Guard may not have been a deterrent for a serious Bank Robber.