Pasha of Jerusalem

The life of Edward Keith-Roach spans the transition of Britain's imperial history from a position of power, serenity and confidence, to one of growing frustration and decline. Perhaps nowhere was this seen more starkly than in Palestine, where Keith-Roach served as Governor of Jerusalem during the period of the British Mandate. This account begins with the author's childhood in rural Gloucester and Hampshire. After working in Surrey and Sussex for the London and County Bank, Keith-Roach joined the Mercantile Bank of India in Bombay. He presents a vivid picture of life in a teeming and sprawling city during the height of the raj. After war service in Egypt, and a period as District Officer in the Darfur region of Sudan, Keith-Roach went to Palestine. He succeeded Sir Ronald Storrs and became steeped in the history, culture and traditions of Jerusalem. His energy, courage, administrative abilities, even-handedness and the gift of making friends among all sections of the population, were given full rein. But his life and work and that of the administration were increasingly overshadowed by the emerging Arab-Jewish divide. Though set against a background of bitterness and turmoil, Keith-Roach's account offers an affectionate and observant view of Palestine under the British Mandate. On his departure in 1945 he was affectionately known as "Pasha" by all sections of Jerusalem's heterogeneous population.