Lady Anne Blunt’s Sheykh Obeyd stud
Anyone knows the exact location of the Sheykh Obeyd stud in today’s Cairo? It is supposed to be half way between the neighborhoods of Matarieh and Ain Shams, but I need a street address.
A blog on desert arabian horses, past, present and future
Anyone knows the exact location of the Sheykh Obeyd stud in today’s Cairo? It is supposed to be half way between the neighborhoods of Matarieh and Ain Shams, but I need a street address.
Edouard, I have a map of the Sheykh Obeyd property, showing that the walled garden of Sheykh Obeyd was just to the east of the Ezbet El-Nakhl railroad station, which is still in use today. Comparing this map to a Google map of modern Cairo, and using the railroad station as a point of reference, I would say that the walled garden occupied the area presently bounded on the west by a road called Ain Shams, on the south by a road called El-Fairouz, on the east by a curving road called Teraat Berlant, and on the north approximately by a road called Sallam Ammar, although the northern wall had a jog and didn’t follow a straight line. Running through this area from east to west is a road called, tellingly, El Shaikh Ebeid.
Judi Forbis wrote in her 1976 book The Classic Arabian Horse, “Today the farm subsists as an orchard; the guest house, now in disrepair, is the only building in evidence. Nearby the blocks of Lady Anne’s beloved house and stables litter the ground, a rubble heap clattered upon by migrant black goats or stumbled over by the felaheen.” Looking at the current satellite images, the property is completely built over and urbanized today.
To follow up R. J. Cadranell’s message, I would suggest that Lady Anne’s house, stables and outbuildings stood in the triangle between Shari Ain Shams, Shari Mohamed Ateya and Shari El Fairouz. The main house may have been slightly to the north of Shari Mohamed Ateya. You might find some remains by walking the nearby streets, although it seems most unlikely judging from the appearance of the district on Google Earth. If you do visit, I’d be interested in your impressions. I have done a bit of research into the history of Sheykh Obeyd, my main sources being pre-1950 maps and the Wentworth Papers. The Casdagli (Kasdaglis) brothers of Cairo seem to have purchased the estate directly from Lady Anne’s trustees. They certainly owned the property until at least the early 1950s.
RJ, thanks.
Indeed, the area is now low income housing with lots of slums. It is one of those most densely populated parts of Cairo, with over 100,000 people living there nowadays(Cairo has anywhere between 20 and 25 million people).
Thank you George. Would you say that the main gate lied on Ain Shams street? Lady Anne’s Journals mention a gate on the road to Cairo, and this would likely be this one…
The diagram of the property shows that the walls had a total of two gates and a third opening described as a “small door.” One of the gates opened directly onto the road to Cairo, which seems to be the same as the modern Ain Shams street. I believe this gate would have been between the modern cross streets of Mohammed Ateya and El Shaikh Ebeid, although closer to Mohammed Ateya.
I AM PLANNING A VISIT TO EGYPT NEXT WINTER. WHERE AND WHICH STUD ARE WORTH VISITING. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH ARABIAN HORSES FOR OVER 35 YEARS, STARTING VERY VERY YOUNG. COULD USE SOME DIRECTIONS, ALSO DO YOU KNOW WHERE LADY ANNE BLUNT GRAVE IS SITUATED, MAY BE?
BEST REGARDS.
I had thought there was a photo of Shekh Obeyd in Lady Blunt’s time ? any help please
yes there are some, in several books on arabian horses.
Edouard thank you for the information but there are
many books published on Arabian horses
Perhaps Peter Upton’s the Arab Horse has one if i remember correctly but I am not sure
Messages posted so far seem not to mention the eponymous shrine of Shaykh Obeyd which was the on the land purchased by the Blunts.. Isn’t it most unlikely that the shrine could have disappeared? Has no one seen it? 3 January 2020.
Has anyone seen the shrine of Sheykh Obaid which was of course the most prominent feature of the Blunt estate.? It is surely very unlikely that it could have been destroyed..
I am extremely interested to hear from anyone researching Shaikh Obeyd and the life of Lady Anne Blunt. My personal interest is in the way Lady Anne tried to maintain her marriage and how she was strengthened and consoled by her Catholic faith.
Have you read the H. V. F. Winstone biography? A couple of the reviews of it suggest that it may focus more on her marriage than the horses, so might be what you’re looking for.