![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 [‎458v] (938/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_0938.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 [‎458v] (938/1291)")
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 [458v] (938/1291)
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.
2 ff
u UeGsu 1 - & * w ^ ^
uAsy*M Vf ^ '
xxv.
KERMAN^
6 - 8 - 1913 .
5^
^caJL, t
Tno ovont of this rook, was tho 1 st* of Auguat; it
was tho Shah’s birthday as roll as tho Swiss Ropublio.
Poor Lock, was vory sorry for himsolf; tho only timo his
t<!mpiu' is quostionablo is whon ho has to put on uxiiform -
which fortunately for us ooth isn*t very often I I had a
groat forenoon getting out tho said uniform and Booing that
it was all ixi order; it was tho first time that vruhammsd had
boon privilegod to handle it ana ho was vory muoh t lat< a ana
carried of tho buttons ana m aals ana sword in high gleo to
polish them. Ho maa. a very gooa job of it and in spite of
our noth being amateurs T think we turned H.M. Consul out
in very creditable trim. It aian’t sooth him at all to bo
told how nice ho lookoa II But ho aoos look^ so clean and
white.
usy*. /
The Amir sent a carriage to drive him out; ho and 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.
sot off ixi state accompanied by give of the Sowars
all in their Sunday best — nice white riding benoohns,
khc-fr-1 tunics and broad broad bright rod ksmmc r~bauas and
handsome turbans with a red pesky miaale ana scarf.
7h<» oiitertainment itself was most elaborate; they wore made
dismount from tho carriage a long way from tho palace and pro—
coed Oxi foot with groat state through a whole decorated arcade
hung with priceless carpets ana fittea up with little booths
representing the various State Departments, revenue etc.
At last they reached the Palace ana were auly n chived.
There were tables and tables loadea with cakes ana sweets
and costly fruits hundreds of
tomans
10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value.
worth of which Lock sa^i^
the guests ate about 1/— wcTth — and the rest woula fall to
the share of tho retainers ana servants. Meanwhile
while Lock was played ing the auke / Muharamaa and j packed up
all the things necessary for the evening and I proceeded to
the Baiik. W formoa a funny procession. I on the aonk<y
followed by fiTuhammad carrying with great care the dress box
containing my beautiful white satin dross and its pretty
ninon tu lie with its at.locate shades of apricot a. d green
silk tmbroiaery; Loth carefully ironed for the occasion the
former by the Dhobi, the latter by my own fair fingers and
Mother’s well-beloved little spirit iron. Behind Muhammad
came two Persian Sarbaz carrying Lock’s dressing case and mine
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 [458v] (938/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946968.0x000025> [accessed 30 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