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 [494v] (1010/1291)
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.
seem to £.ave one) was aa oneery ai.ia orignt as ever. We x.aa
a good oeal ox pleasaiit convarsation^several cups of aweetenea
tea ana coffee. Tne taole waa loaaed witn all sorts of cakea
oiacuits a.ici aweetmeata. Most ox tnaae are very gooa indeed,
out soma of tnsir extra special concoctions, like aemi liquid
TurK.lai> Diligi. t maae wx tn very dirty soapy water, are ratne r
awxul. Tney rcajce all tneae tnings tneiaaylvea, so tney are plea
sed ix yoji can eat tnem ana appreciate ti.em. I was glaa to fi»d
tnat I naa raaae a gooa aeal ox progress in speaxing since I
saw tnexa last. Tne aan tning is tnat tnere one am only topic
of conversation is oaoiea, of wixicn one gata a little tired.
Tnqy are greatly pained at ray naving none ana say tneir hearts ae
ourning xor- me to nave one in Kerman; alter tnis nappily tnere
is not mucn more to oe aaia; out poor Mrs. T»rrignt aid not at all
enjoy ner crossquestioning. You nave oeen married xour years
tnea you must nave xour onilaren, or five ? No, you nave only
two; now very strange? Do you not lixe tnem ? Does your musijana
not lixe tnem ? Ytc, etc. tnrougn a nun oe r of questions wnicn
I carniot repeat 11 Mrs. W. wno ox course can talk extremely
well, naving nad xour years ox Missionary worx oefors ace married
could not pretend to misunderstand ana so ovaae t.'.em, arid was
mucn too nice x ^lurr or lie — w&lo& in tn•) circumstances I
xear ▼ sr.ouli tnink entirely justixiaole.
Alter toa and talx we walxsa round tne garden. Anything
drearier you cannot imagine? tnere were no proper walxs, just
an untidy welter ox little w^ter courses ana untrimraea ausr.es,
ana ruooisn neaps wi tn a xew magnificent cypresses was tea in
it all. Tne Persian mind nas no idea of tns cnarms ox Keeping
a palce tiay, a.ia yoa will always find refuse neaps jsxa piles
ox oricxs una oaa noles ana oare spaces disfiguring Ure finest
garuen. Ana tnis garaen oeing consecrated to tne laaies,
receivea no aouot a minimum ox attention. V.'itn mucn ai f xiculty
we tnen toox our leave. Tne ladies expressed tnenselves most
anxious to see a game ox tennis, so I promised to arrange of
xemale aay at wnicn tnay could come ana loox on. To get it
over quicxly I arranged tne i olio wing Friday, arid ixaa losts ox
caxes ana sweets arid grapes all laid out in tne drawing room,
ana all tne European Laaies ana aaoies invitea, ana arrangements
made wi tn tne gardeners Jtc. to xeep out ox tne road ana witn
tne Nawao to lend me a servant girl etc. etc. Wnen jS oad
lucx would nave it tne weatner oroxe ana we naa neavy tuunosr
snowers etc. Mrs. v;. nooly turned up "ce ana tne xias wet
tnrougn, so tnat I naa to lignt a lire and ary tnem round it;
meanwnlle I sent over a message to tne Persian ladies to say
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 [494v] (1010/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946968.0x00007d> [accessed 28 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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