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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 [608v] (1238/1291)
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.
KERMAN,
26 . 8 . 14 .
JuJux* ^ *<£&<*<*
Lock arrived bacK to me on Fri. 21st. He turned up
about 9.30 a.m, looking simply splendid and full of spirits
crying out for breakfast. I was not able to go to meet
him for of course he was driving back with the G.G. I
expexted the latter to come in for tea and so forth and had
everything ready in the dr. room. With great tact, however,
he drove straight off, so I was not compelled to sit chafing
in the next room until a ceremonious visit was got thro'.
1'he little trip has done him no end of good, tho* it could
not be called a rest cure. They started each a.ra. about
5 , had a lunch by the road side about 11 a.m. then reached th
their Journey's end any time about 7 or 8 p.ra., but it was
10 or 11 p.ra. before they got their dinner. The G.G. made a
most amusing and entertaining companion, far less boring L. says
than most Europeans. They discussed most things under heaven
including the relative advantages and disadvantages of 4 wives
and 1. The G.G. has four all in Teheran ! They have presented
him with tlr ee sons since his arrival here, within a space of
40 days.
The day after their arrival at Bam, they held a council of
war. The Bastis had dwindled to about 400 , but even that is
a troublesome no. to handle. Just before leaving this L.
had got the
Nawab
An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India.
to write a Persian proclamation, explaining
to the people how aimtters were and why they must be ejected from
our private quarters and what the delinquencies of the Nazim
were and explaining tht no harm was interred to any of them if
they would quietly return to their homes. We made 15 copies
of this and from Larzln L. had it sent in and circulated to
various Mullas and people; this no doubt helped to account for
the reduced nos. The T n 0 . stands in a big garden enclosure
two sides of wh. are on the open desert but the other two
surrounded by other high-walled gardens. It was arranged
that de Mar^ with his Gendarmes should surround the two open
sides while two lots of B.s shouldl surround the other two penet
rating thro the surrounding gardens right under the T.O. walls.
L. had carefully reconnoltered the whole ground and made all
arrangements about ladders and scaling appliances. When all fot
four lots were in position, an ultimatum was to be sent in to
the people giving them IS minutes or so to clear out unmolested
and hand over the Nazim and a few other specified ringleaders.
L. says the council of war ^ was most amicable, and the Persian
leaders were greatly pleased with his plants and most ready to
fall in with them. Of course proceedings were conducted in
Persian of wh. de M. unhappily knows so little that L. had
perpetually to stop to translate and explain. This same
ignorance made it practically impossible for de M. to explain whal
he wanted to his own native officers, but at last it seemed 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 [608v] (1238/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946967.0x000034> [accessed 3 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