![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 [‎387r] (793/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_0793.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "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 [‎387r] (793/1291)")
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 [387r] (793/1291)
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
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
^ , p&j
Th ;ir qu6.ro *rb ferw oxtrorally oramped end aro of course ^
only nativo buildings adapted for thoir purposes. ^ It was Q^l)
path->tic to soo tho tiny consulting-room in which Ir Wostlfiko
roc d v«s and oxeminos pati nts, so mot im-o 50 and 60 in a day.
Th -ru w ro two tiny woman’s wards with about 6 or 7 b--da - sen.
Qfton th«y hav« to put --xtra shak -downs on tho floor wh m th re
is a crush. Th-y worn v >ry apologetic ofr th ) primitiv -n -ss of
truir a.rrang--ments, but ind-od, knowing som ething of how difficult’
it is to got natives to keep things as you lik > I was only amazed
at th" spick—span—n< ss of it all. They then showed m over the
store i^oorns and a d >ar little now •theatre" with whit-) til » floor
ana n ami led walls — which t coveted tor a bath-room i And
a. lov- ly "chest of drawers full of rows and rows of the newest
instruments, with which they are very wll- supplied indood.
Then we went over to the men's side ana found it slightly more
spacious uu t still cruelly cramped; it has beds also for about
15 or 20 patients. Here Dr. Sohaffter was hard at work a: it
was his dispensary day and oo zens of out-patients were waiting their
turn. j saw him superintend the dressing of a. wretched, thief
who had ha,a his hands amputated. They had out off the four
lingers oi each hand a,t the knuckles, and had then waited two or
three days be loro allowing him to go to the fjospital to have them
seen to. The result will be that though they will gradually heal
he will always have an unsightly and very tender scar, where proper
and prompt treatment could have given him a decently finished sort
of hem. He- seemed pleased with himself — not at all ashamed,
which is natural ss ol course he is only one thief out ol thieving
population and it was merely bad luck that he was caught — and
probably knows that he will make an easier liviihood now by begging
than tv on in the past by larc >ny. The executioners who do those
ugly jobs are not given any state salary, but are allowed to carry
the trophies they have amputated round the bazar and are entitled
to a payment of a few pence from each shopke >p r.
Th > Finance Minister Mr. Loeoffre, is making himself very
unpopular by trying to impose an opium-tax as a. source of muchdno'ded
revenue. As the whol population soaks itself in opium, they
are ail interested in resisting the tax.’ fpo heard a rumour that
a numu r were going to take "
bast
(Per.) A Persian custom allowing an individual to seek asylum at a designated location.
" here, in th Ir nio > illogical
way. How vor, the Russian Consul, who is always ready to try and
make trouble, and who it seems was very jealous because the qali-bafs
took "
bast
(Per.) A Persian custom allowing an individual to seek asylum at a designated location.
" here recently, thought ho would increase his prestige
by having a big "ba.st" at his place.
So hr, sent into the highways
and hedges and collect d a herd of soally-wags into his
^compound, provided tents in a neighbouring piece of grand, and
, decorated his Consulate with flags. How far the story is true i
am not pr pared to say, but I can vouch for
(—• 6 t/ /
the tents, flags and
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 [387r] (793/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946967.0x00000f> [accessed 30 January 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