![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 [‎611v] (1244/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_1244.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 [‎611v] (1244/1291)")
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 [611v] (1244/1291)
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.
ly In case some others have perhaps gotye astray. The first
of these posts was apparently molested outside B.A. and partially
rohbed and the remainder of it then fled back to B.A. We know
that one week of Indian newspapers are gone and two of L.#s
J.R.A.S. but have no other clues. Of course that overworked
Consulate at B.A. could not have been expected to send us any
news on the subject !!
All our minds are concentrated on this Immense war. We get
the telegrams wlthing twenty four hours, so that we are nearly as
well posted as you, except that we have as yet no war maps and
have to struggle on with ordinary atlases. The poor Brandlys
are In great excitement lest Italy shall really join the struggle,
for this apparently metfis that Switzerland will certainly be sucked
In too — I suppose on the other side. We are na_w awaiting the
news of the great Belgian battle which they say must be fought soon
It was splendid the way our army got across the Channel. And It
is splendid how the little Belgians, who didn't want to fight at
ail, have held their ground and punctured the German tyre.
Even here we feel strongly the trade-disturbance. All the
carpet firms have had to close down. The O.C.M. alone thus
throws 2000 weavers (with all of whom they are under contract)
into unemployment. So there will be endless poverty and distress
this winter. L. is not at all sure that the O.C.M. Is playing
quite straight over this. It is theoretically a British firm
but its head offices are Smyrna and It is run by a Levantine crew
there. It seems to L. that they are probably simply shtitting
down here to economise without being In measurable distance of
real bankruptcy; and of course they have no right to do this If
it Is still avoidable. It throws on the Consul here the whole
onus of managing their practical bankruptcy here. Howver he
hajd/wyltten to the Legation to ask how the matter stands, and if
they are merely bluffing, and hoping to be able to save money off
thei^L Kerman business in order to hold on longer elsewhere, think-
that no one will know they have stopped payment here, he hopes to
put a spoke In that pretty little plan. At best however we are
sure to have trouble later on when the shoe has begun to pinch.
We shall not be surprised if we get the whole weaving community
In
Bast
(Per.) A Persian custom allowing an individual to seek asylum at a designated location.
some fine day, wanting free food !
It even promised to create a difficulty for ourselves. We
usually have simply to give the Bank Govt, cheques on India and
they credit us with the equivalent amount In Krs. here (no doubt
deducting their own neat little comralsion !), but all of a sudden
Mr. T. found he was forbidden to take Indian cheques and could
only offer us overdrafts. No doubt this Idea appealed to the
Bank, but not In the least to us. It would have complicated
L's accounts most dreadfully, first the question of Interest wh.
Govt, would never recognise, and secondly the question of
eternally fluctuating exchange values. Finally however L. has
made some arrangement by wh. Mr. T. takes India paper as before.
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 [611v] (1244/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946969.0x000006> [accessed 1 August 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