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 [565v] (1152/1291)
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.
3
£Js purauea Persian ana Persian peotry amongat the stultifying
iniluence8 or n Legation, the terrible bridge-parties, the aiplomacy
(of wnicn nis estimate is much tne sarue as our cwn) ana above all
tne social auties of aancing attendance on erratic lemales. T am
s.iraia inis wife scarcely snares his tastes, out she is very young
ana may develop a lot. Sne n&a. not much oi a ona.ice t.o ».p
even moderately normals corn in Pome, went to Madrid, to 1 *asnington
to Constantinople, to Tokio, to Constantinople, to Berlin to
TQxteran, with one snort interval or school in France Aa no
lady—diplomatists wa nave neara any rumours oi (witr. tne honoracle
exception of Laay Spring Rice) appear to have any gleam sanity
or iaaeea any redeeming cnaracteristic, it seems a peculiarly unhappy
cnildhooa, Tney fire evidently very fond oi each otnor, f*iid I expeci
ne will bring her round to his ways of tninxingj it would o© vei y
ham for any one out a aeai mute to resist the oont-agion ..is
joy in poetry. His own translations, tho* quite rough and not yet
at all pclisned up, Lock thought extremely nappy.
One very attractive item in .'.is general character was *n entire
aosence of side or snobbery oi any sort, neitner tr.e siae oi the
new-created oaronst, or tne young millionaire, or tna Eton man,
or the would oe man of letters, or the ouauing diplomat. He was
as natural ana unanectea as ix ns naa oeen urea in a country
manse. As for the unnappy episode in nis ..iutory; ne proved ..imsoli.
so untirely a .xice—mmasa even high-minaea xellow, tnat one cari only
rememoer that we nave not heard his siae of it; and tnat eit..er **ia
French uporingi.ig oexoggea nis judgement ct sucn matters —— after
ail in France the nieaa* people lock on such relationships as
an inevitaole and even aesiraole prexace to ultimate latiily
lixe — or else tnat ne was tne victim of a designing adventuress
It is very sau. Far notning tnat nis mtura life can bring can
undo it, nor could one ever xeel just tne same towards nim as if
it naa not nappenea. We learn irom Mr. Taylor tnat the lady was
many years his senior ana tne mother ci several cnildren, o I
tnink one is at least entitled to coneiojr tnat ne was prooaoly
tne less guilty party.
We received your letters oi March 18 tn. soon after our post
naa gone out last weei<, ana Tuesday orougnt us tnose og Marcn 24 tn.
Fe are greatly distressed to near ootn from Pome ana Clonskea tnat
tne re naa been a fortnight’s gap in our letters. It was particular
ly trying for you all as ray last nad orougnt you news oi Lack’s
illness ana you were therefore inclined to iear tnat no news meant
sometning araiss. If similar case ar.oula ever arise again, please
nola tignt on to tne reilection t*'.at you would eertainlv nave neard
anytning important oy telegaph. As a matter oi lact of course
we nad written regularly if not at great length. The delay must
nave oeen somewnere in tne post. We very muchhope that the
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 [565v] (1152/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946967.0x000069> [accessed 13 July 2026]
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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
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