Sir Harry C Sinderson Pasha (1891-1974) - AS Jawad
Sir Harry C Sinderson Pasha (1891-1974) - AS Jawad
Sir Harry C Sinderson Pasha (1891-1974) - AS Jawad
Paper
http://dx.doi.org/10.4997/JRCPE.2013.118
Professor and Consultant Rheumatologist, Rheumatology Department, Barts and the London NHS Trust, London, UK
ABSTRACT Following the end of the First World War, several British orientalists
had a significant influence on politics and development in a number of Arab
countries in the Middle East. These include familiar figures such as TE Lawrence
in Hejaz, Jordan and Syria, Gertrude Bell in Iraq, Harry St John Philby (later Sheikh
Abdullah) in Saudi Arabia and Sir John Glubb (Glubb Pasha) in Jordan. There are
however other less well-known individuals, of whom Harry Sinderson Pasha is
one. Sinderson was a physician who played a significant role in the development
of health and medical education in modern Iraq after it was established by the
British in 1920. He was personal physician to the Royal family of Iraq, a confidant
to King Faisal I and then to the Prince Regent, and he played an important role
in the politics of that period.
Correspondence to AS Jawad
Rheumatology Department,
Barts Health NHS Trust,
Whitechapel, London
E1 4DG, UK
tel. +44 (0)208 223 8408
e-mail
[email protected]
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Royal confidant
In addition to being the royal physician, Harry Sinderson
became a royal confidant, writing speeches for the King
and helping him practice his public speaking in english.
He accompanied the King when he met King Saud of
Saudia Arabia in 1930 and on his visits to Persia in 1932
and Great Britain in June 1933.14 Sinderson was present
at the meeting on 21 February 1930 between King Faisal
and King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud on board HMS Lupin, an
event which was to prove extremely important because
it helped settle some of the dynastic differences
between the two families. Sinderson summarised the
main points of the agreement in his autobiography.15
King Ghazi
After Faisals death in 1933 Sinderson continued to be
royal physician to his son, King Ghazi; the young King
was not as fond of Sinderson as his father had been,
though he did present his physician with a car, a
Hupmobile, following the birth of his son (later King
Faisal II) on 2 May 1935. Sinderson was unique in the
expatriate community in having his own chauffeur, who
was made the more distinctive by wearing western
clothes and a chauffeur's cap. Sinderson would read his
newspaper in the back seat. By contrast his British
colleagues drove their own cars.4 In September 1934
Sinderson was replaced as Dean of the Medical College
because pro-German support was growing stronger.
Royal Fatality
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King Faisal II
Harry and Elsie Sinderson returned to Baghdad for the last
time when King Faisal II attained the age of majority on 2
May 1953. They gave the young King a parchment with a
representation of the Kings family tree, a record of his
ancestry. This parchment had been obtained by Sir Percy
Cox, the British High Commissioner (19201923) and on
his death was given to Sinderson by Lady Cox. King Faisal
II was very pleased with the present and it became his
most treasured possession.11 The King suffered from
asthma and used to communicate with Sinderson by letter,
referring to him as docky. His last contact was when King
Faisal II wrote to Sinderson on 25 June 1958, 19 days
before he was killed in a military coup on 14 July 1958.25
Return to England
After his retirement from Iraq to his home in Sussex in
England, Sinderson devoted his time and energy to
working for local and national charities. He became
Sussex county director for the St John Ambulance
Association, and in May 1955 he was appointed member
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