An Account of a Journey in Kashmir by David Lockhart Robertson Lorimer and Letters from Emily Overend Lorimer to her Parents sent from Bahrain and Kerman [279r] (571/1291)
The record is made up of 2 files (630 folios). It was created in 1898-1914. It was written in English and Persian. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
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Wrj
<»
sJitJL-/
B A H R
/
(Z^ •*£&«*., H *-
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
,
SIN.
1 - 2 - 1912.
Life ia just at present peculiarly uneventful. We nad.
asked Mr Macpnerson atid Mr Holst to dine tne otn.er evening to
drink tne King's Coronation nealtii - our cnampagne naving at
last come l - out poor Mr. Holst was again down with fever.
He is doing his oest to gat.transferred from Bahrein I oeLieve,
out I don't know wnat cnanoe he has oi oeing successful. We
all wonder wnat on earth keeps the German firm here; they do
^no/^ real ousiness at all out contract an iranense numoer of oad
oeots. We can only suppose tnat they are heavily suosidised
oy their Government to do something ,whether positively or nega
tively profitaoljf, so that some day Germany may oe aole to speak
of her "commercial interosts" in Bahrein, If M -1 Holst does
go wa may get a married gentleman arid his wire and two children
which would oe ratnor fun - if tney are at ail nice.
hast night we haa Dr,-.and Mrs Mylrea to dine lor the last
time; sne starts on Sunday. If they are sgsv*. posted in
Bahrein on their return from leave, we shall of course see
them again, out this is on the whole unlikely, so we all felt
a oat dreary. They are very unexciting people out thoroughly
pleasant ana friendly and wo shall not easily get anyone we
like as much.
Our new servant Ja'far (you pronounce and then hiccough
and pronounce-far) is doing very well. We were extremely
lucky to pick him up just when we did, for Yusuf haa to go off
some days ago to Busnire to his mother who was (or was siad to
oe) very ill. We were a little afraid that Ja'far would not
oe content to stay with us for tha same wages as Yusuf and we
did not see how we could put him in over Y's head as it were,
out he raised no oojection .1 and seems content ror the moment.
He Ts also a 'Persian. Very reluctantly I am deciding that
I may as well aoandon the eu ort to learn Hindustani which no
one here speaks as a natural tongue and start 'Persian Which
there is some hope or learning. It is the only language I
ever hear. Such serpas oi Hindustani as I have learned I
can save up for the cook! It is disheartening to think that
About this item
- Content
This file consists of two separate physical files as follows:
1) An account of a journey in Kashmir in 1898-99 written by David Lockhart Robertson Lorimer of the Indian Army. His account is entitled 'Three Months of Privilege Leave'. It contains his observations on the languages, peoples, transport, flora and fauna, trade and climate of the region. There are occasional edits and corrections to the original text marked in red pen. The Persian language material in the file is a proverb written on folio 194.
In addition to this travel diary, the following is enclosed: an essay by Lorimer entitled 'Modern Education' dated 9 February 1895 (folios 1-24); two copies of a pamphlet that was published 'for private circulation' in memory of David's brother, John Gordon Lorimer, following his death on 8 February 1914 (folios 255-262); and another essay by Lorimer entitled 'Our Indian N.W. Frontier - a study in a bye-gone Civilisation. A forgotten Chapter of Frontier History' (folios 221-253).
2) Copies of letters that were sent from Emily Overend Lorimer to her parents, Thomas George Overend and Hannah Kingsbury. The letters describe the lives of Emily and her husband, David Lockhart Robertson Lorimer (referred to as 'Lock' in the letters), while living in Bahrain from October 1911 until November 1912 (folios 263-310) and in Kerman from January 1913 until November 1914 (folios 313-634). David served as Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Bahrain 1911-12 and as HM Consul, Kerman and Persian Baluchistan, 1913-14.
The letters discuss a range of topics including Lorimer's observations of local customs, food, climate, scenery and festivals; the couple's domestic life and arrangements (especially their servants, who are often discussed in racialised, insulting language); and her interactions with other non-local residents. Also discussed are Lorimer's reading habits, her and her husband's health, family news and, occasionally, world events and political developments.
On folios 322-324, the file contains a description of a walk around Kerman in March 1914 that is accompanied by a sequence of six small black and white photographs of various points in the journey (folios 315-321).
In addition to these letters, the file also contains a number obituaries and letters of condolence written upon the death of David's brother, John Gordon Lorimer, on 8 February 1914 (folios 299-302, 415-416 and 543-544).
On folio 417, the file contains an obituary of David Lockhart Robertson Lorimer published in an unknown newspaper following his death on 26 February 1962.
- Extent and format
- 2 files (630 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: this file consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence commences at the front cover of volume one (ff 1-262) and terminates at the inside back cover of volume two (ff 263-634); these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
- Written in
- English and Persian in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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An Account of a Journey in Kashmir by David Lockhart Robertson Lorimer and Letters from Emily Overend Lorimer to her Parents sent from Bahrain and Kerman [279r] (571/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946969.0x00007e> [accessed 7 April 2025]
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- Reference
- Mss Eur D922/1
- Title
- An Account of a Journey in Kashmir by David Lockhart Robertson Lorimer and Letters from Emily Overend Lorimer to her Parents sent from Bahrain and Kerman
- Pages
- 263r:298v, 303r:306v, 309r:391v, 393r:411v, 418r:542v, 545r:634v
- Author
- Lorimer, Emily Martha
- Copyright
- ©Munro Family
- Usage terms
- Creative Commons Attribution Licence