![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 [‎480v] (982/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_0982.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 [‎480v] (982/1291)")
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 [480v] (982/1291)
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.
5
I wiotL I couia aLow oo you. Ana no# Sem in
particular mould ravel in tnem l
Tne wnitii Howard #ero a ^ore trial to Wirza Hassan.
He went out ana re turned #itn two vases ciiOwK lull of tightly
pacKea raroenaj ana snapdragons asa petunias of all lit© colour
0 x tny rainoow ana a groat many otnar^, una oeggod to ue allowed
to alternate tneae witn mine, I nad to ca iirm, cut I tlirea to
oe kind ana I put nis offorings on me mantle piece ant pryea tLat
no one would nctitfe tnen. Tno Russian Coneul ci course maen’t
tnere. He was -.aid to co aw^.y and ray invitation was returned;
ne oaksa no arrangesjnt to nave iectere sent alter niit. Tnor;
on tne "eanoaaay we saw nis street full of c&ssacKS and no am ne
naa returned so I wrote again ai*x repeated ice invitation, on
wnion no ilea on again to Siita. No one underetanas vnat naa
come over nim, ne used tc ce qaato a gay ana souA^ule oiea.
I ait airaid tea trutn is no* tn<-t nis frequent lll-nealtn is
largely uua tc unwise una indiscriminate potations ana tnat ne
is never sure oi oeing suiilclently so nor to turn up. Any now
#3 are getting tirea oi xutile nficrts to ’’uine’* nim. Tnere
romaineu tno great Leccifre, tne Nuvran, Mr. v/rigr.t .suid i;o. Moreau.
'fe nan a pleasant little dinner — a ver auooeaaiui aspic and a
excellent aollds; ana. tno coys' waiting was
not Uw HI c cU--• tv ^no.i ^^ — 3^ tin yx k xij.j>*ig iii*uyaken, y ** y uid
it quietly did uno at ruaive ly arid I no n’t tni.-k anyone out I would
nave noticed. After tie men rejoined rre we nad a most anlraated
evening cnutting in pairs: #1 tn He S’re^cd ^nglisn ma Persian
you could not talk on masse. As tire guests lid not retire till
just one, I presume tnoy enjoyed tnertselves.
M. Laccifre is a pleasant surprise; he is in every way most
raasonaole axa easy to work #i tn ana seems to approve iiignly of
Lock’s attitude to tne Arnir and life in general, so in at wnere we
anticipated dig.ficulties oia iriction aa *iausaam we nave so lar
nai one most cordial rslaticns.. Tire gendarmes nave lefc Tenran • #
tor Kerman Xpo rank aio.* tile ana tnree Sweaisn otficers. W>&t nw
complications — or simplifications ?I — will tney oring. I
nope tney will play tennis ana talk some known language*
When we get Lome wa must try to »pena a montn or o in
i France ; my Frenet is very rusty, nrn Lock, ti*ougn ne talks very
wall ana unasrsta.ias everything, feels all tne time a lack of
ease ana fluency; it isn’t w^.erful #*..on you retlect tnnt ne nas
/ spent in all about ten aays an tr.e country. He amazes me witn
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 [480v] (982/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946967.0x0000b0> [accessed 14 June 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
- Usage terms
- Creative Commons Attribution Licence