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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 [‎398r] (815/1291)

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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6
As soon afr t^y were completely swatiea up^t^e mala — equallv
s^eetea — waa sent a^iiga to spy out ti»e lana* We were
engagea in xarewell speeches wc.ea sae came back to report two
men in sigiii ana so our aaieux naa to be prolongea till
tnese terriole phenomena naa aisappearea. (Tnis of course
was a pur< axiectation). it was ratb»r a comic scene, tne
nuaulea 'moolea' laaies trying to oustle into tneir saoots
on tne tnresnnola ana all tne wnile pouring out a steeam of
polite ibrmulae: your Kinaness is too great, your graciouanesp
is too kina, may your kinaness oe increasea ana then aa capo
several nunarea times. i was powerless to stem tne tine,
not knowing enougn oi tne correct xormulae xor reply (it
seems you may just ecno tee same pnrases bacK, keeping always
xor tne saK.e ox originality to tne one before last i) It
reminaea me irresist&oly ox similar emoarrassing moments in
Germany ween tneir ex’x usive *Lassen Sie es Sice, gut oeKommen”
(I tope it will agree wite you — rexerring presumably to tee
caK.es etc, consumea) until j learnea to oe agile wite my
tongue ana to ejaculate tee magic perase xirst ana in teis
way take tee wina out ox tneir sails. To teeir re-iterat4o..
ox my ’kinonesa 1 , I kept murmuring n ^oa is your Keeper”
(weice, eaa teey known it ? iiifgnt tave oeen interpre tea: xor
pity’s sake go on, tee men won’t cite, Gooa-oye) a*ia ween tep
at last to my reliex came to a xinal ’’Goa is your Keeper”
I repliea wite gusto ”Ana tee Keeper ox you” ana nurlea alter
teem tte really aristocratio xarewell ”rn the Peace of Allah”
welch little Araoic tag I hope only impressea than. (It
Is alw$r s stylise in Persian to stick in Arabic tags, ix you
know any). It was great xun, ana I am looKing xo rwara to
my return calls very much. Tee moteer laay is, I oelieve
our next aoor neigeoour (whether a wiaow or not T aia not
ascertain), out t.-e Mrs. Siraar Nusrat lives away at tee otew-r
ena ox tee town. See premisea, eowever, to ^na tee carriag-c-
xor me weatever aay I was coming; teia I acceptea wite plea
sure as o tear wise I shoulu. eave to maKe my appearance in
a riaing skirt.
We eae yet another ekeitemeat this weeK, Mr. Paaxlauo
ox tee oiggest of tee Carpet xirms, invitea us aewn to see
a large conslgnitent ox carpets weice were just about to oe
pacKea up to go to Banaar. We roae aown to their tom
premises in the xorenoon, throught the bazaar as ix xor tee
Bsak, teen aown a sloe lane till we reaceea teeir compouna.
r Here we saw a funny siget. A weole gooa sizea
oout—yara xi Ilea ^.te carpets. Many aozens alreaay rollea

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 [‎398r] (815/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946967.0x000075> [accessed 27 June 2026]

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