a system of civil and criminal courts, a functioning and well trained police service, general and widely available education, municipal authorities and political support for the exploration for oil. It was largely the energy of Belgrave in support of the search for oil that put Bahrain ahead of other gulf states in being the first to discover oil in 1932. Belgrave understood the importance of trade and was the driving force behind the creation of the 'Bab Al Bahrain' (Gateway to Bahrain) structure at the entrance to the market area adjacent to the dhow landing jetties (now all reclaimed land). Belgrave is widely reported as having been a well-known and popular figure regularly seen riding his horse, wearing a topee (pith) hat, and visiting markets and public gathering places to listen to the views and aspirations of Bahrainis. His office, the 'Advisory', remains to this day as the old home of Bahrain's courts and justice system. 1950s disturbances A general strike was called by the people of Bahrain in March 1956 to remove Belgrave as advisor and force him to leave the country. During the strike, which was estimated to have included 30,000 people, 9,000 of them oil workers, at least 11 people were reported killed in riots on 11 March, after an argument broke out at a vegetable market. The riots started at the Bahrain's oil refinery. A few days before the riots broke out the car of Selwyn Lloyd, the British foreign secretary, was attacked with rocks, with the attackers shouting "Down with Belgrave!" British nationals were forced to stay indoors for safety. As a result, Belgrave's powers were reduced significantly, although Shaikh Salman refused to remove him totally. Shaikh Salman also allowed the establishment of the first legal political party, the National Union Committee (NUC; aka "Committee for National Unity") a step toward democratic elections. The total killed was later reduced to 5. Some American officials said that this was another example of the British trying to hold on to their colonialism. The uprising is said to have been started through the effort of Gamal Abdel Nasser, the ruler of Egypt at the time, going as far as secretly funding merchants of the bazaar, because of the disagreement that he was having with the British, and other western powers, over Israel. The Soviet Union would take advantage over the tensions caused by this spring upheaval and the