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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 [‎541v] (1104/1291)

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. .

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a
3 .
helping matters on "by giving way to their desire to he left entire
ly a free hand.
This episode will of course delay hy months their normal road-
guarding worlc and meantime another pair of caravans are gone
rnd very likely another half-dozen of which news has not yet come
In. re
It would all he very laughable, If theiar was not the Immense
lossinvolved to our luckless traders, the vexation and loss to
ourselves and of course a great deal of real misery and hardship
to the unfortunate villages plundered and wrecked and the reductlo
ad absurdum of our beautiful policy In S. Persia.
The Times had an edifying article on the "Policing of Persia”
which was painted a delightful couleur de rose. The Special
Correspondent at Teheran Is a nephew of Lady S. T. and lives at
the Legation. In an Ingenuous letter from Sir. a. recently he
mentioned "Tie <^e trying to 'lay' anoth r Blue Book and are revlsig
it here, cutting out all the little Its which don't show the
Persians up as angels”. Sidelights on Diplomacy T
Our conquering hero Glimstedt Is expected hack today.
You will he sorry to here that poor Mrs. Br&ndly whose house
Is full of the two new assistants, Messrs Raaflaub and Br. Junior
and whose cook has got Jaundice, has got an Invalid on her hands.
A Mr. Sandherr a German traveller for dyes who came to stay/ln pas
/ sing thro', has developed some serious fever looks like enteric
hut not yet certainly diagnosed. I should greatly like to
take some of the others hoarders off her hands, hut really cannot
suggest it while Lock 1 still In bed; I could even have lent her
^ Burzu as an understudy to the cook hut he has been 111 longer
than- Look ! It is funny how misfortunes always come in hatches.
Happily Mrs. B. has the young niece with her and she Is a most
capable and useful young person.
Mr. Gardner Is getting on well and they hope to he able to let
him travel home In a fortnight or so.
Mr. ££ d'Alton has turned up from Yezd on his way to Slstan
In Mr.Gardner’s stead. This means his dropping Into a Managers^
ship extremely young and he is naturally In great feather about
it -- it's an 111 wind • . He seems a very nice lad and is
looking very well and cheerful. He cannot pursue his Journey
Just at present till the Baiuch are safely hack In their own
borders. Two telegraplg men 'who set off in that direction a litt
le time ago are being held up at various places en route waiting
/or news that it is safe to proceed. TThen the roads are again
y clear, he will probably Join one or both of them and have company
on the Journey. Meantime he seems to be enjoying himself.
I hope he will stay long enough to allow me to have him up to dinn
or lunch, hut until Lock Is hack in ordinary life again these
things are of course impossible.
Lock Is going on splendidly and looking much more like himself
There is no other news. You understand of course that Baiuch

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
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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 [‎541v] (1104/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946967.0x00000a> [accessed 22 June 2026]

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