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 [400r] (819/1291)
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.
8 .
to meet Mrs. Gordon (Will’s ruture m.-in-law) ana naa xcuna
ner sucn h congenial ana cultivatea woman. we were just a li
little iWariul t..at you mignt ^ave overtired yourselves in
^ig^u-seeing tn nor ana tnat vernaps tiie aeiay iix getting awa
irom Horae mi gut not oe very wise xor Papa’s fcealtk. However^
we uope tnat tnare were no untoward enacts, and ii net we
Know you will oc th. nave enjoyed the meeting greatly. it was
a pity t.^t the girl herseli could not be tnere, ou t sne will
turn up another time, no aouot.
An& txJ.s is splenaiu news irom Clcnskea tnat Fatner is so
well anu sleeping so well that tne Doctor recommends a little t
travel. I can quite imagine Father’s indignant repudiation o
Pau or Bounemouth ’ And his contention that ir aole to go
30 lar Le coula equally well set out oor Home. As the season
i' s now^so lar advanced, I xancy you will not really go so xar
S. a?t ^ome; ox t we taKe it that once you ana Mother are really
unaerweigh, ma on the loose again, it will ts^e some-thing to
prevent your meeting the other parents in Switzerland, or wher
ever u.ey may oe. Tnis will oe simply splenaia, ana we are
par tic xlar ly glad to tnint t*‘.at ii P&pa is in t—e Doctor's
naaas cut on xrom walxs Kid things xor a time, you will
perhaps oe with Mama ana n£m Kid aole to vary their company
aid tneir talKS, xor you will have more in common than aoy
068 ^ * c <l^aintance s, including til sorts ox Kindred interests
apart xrom the prodigal sna distant children.
we are seriously wishing t-at we haa arranged with Mama
v - uelegrapn us news cx Papa’a progress, out we aid not tnink
01 it; ln tim ®* It has, however, oeen the greatest joy to us
to learn xrom the C.M.3. doctors nere, now simple a thing
cataract operations are ana now almost invariaolpr satisiactoiy
are m.e results. Tney periorxa tnem nere oy t..e dozen, in the
iuost uniavouraole conditions ox airt aoa glare aiid careless
ness (on tne patients’ part) arid yet nave no misgivings. it
was aL so more than cheeri.og to learn t^at the amount ox pain is
almost ini ini tesimal. I nee a hsraly say all tne same how
anXo.^at» t we are t^inxing hoouv i'c all^ aiia longing icr news,
” were aeligntea to see so extremely &ppreciar4ve a
review ox Fm’a poems in the Literary Supplement ox the Times
x Maruu 13w.. Considering the short shrixt wnicn they
usually atcora to new poems, ana the rather merciless dismissal
^** 1 ** W (« x.av.i oeen studying the poetry reviews with
oo-T-r^ int9rast or lat0 -ign praise aid recognition
_ p.wjr aiia origina?.ity in t..e present ana ox promise
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 [400r] (819/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946968.0x000044> [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
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