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 [424v] (870/1291)
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.
4
aria, atay witi. ua ior a little wi thout the oh ila. Here
there woula be no nouseKeeping that she coulc. ao t toa I
shoula try to aemoralise ner into ialing a;ia reaaing novels
ana sitti-ig out aoing notniiig. It' she can oe persuaaea
to come I really tninK it might ao her aorae gooa; out in
my heart oi .jearta I snail try to comiort myself ii she
won’t. I lear sne woula prove a airricult sort oct guest
ana I ahoula prooaoly nave to spena a gooa aeal of time in
Keeping her entertainea ana armisea or else she *oulu get
restless a-na worriea. Still on tne whole I thinK I wish
more that ane woula come.
Our oomestic lire is settling aowii again. The mason
is aeveloping into a toleraole nousemaia. His iaeas are
very ooaa, uut he is willing ana t have to go gently at my
reiorms so as not to oe too aiscouraging. It seems un
gracious somehow wnen he aas scruotea the oasins with hot
water ana soua ana really maae them very smart, even in the
remote rrilly cracKes rouna the ©age (w..at are rrilly-eagea
oasins maae ror except to catch ola soap ?!), it seems
ungracious to point out tnat tnere is no reason why the soap
aishes shoula not oe maae clean to match ! Alter much
laoour he got tne water-jus ror one’s tooth-water oeautlrul
ana oright, out in the er'iort omittea the tumblers altogether
ana left nice caxes or pinx tooth-powaer in the bottom oi them.
I thinx he saw the humour or' tnis when I pointea it out, out
t rear he may not see the numour or cleaning al 1 the tnings
every aay as a permanency. He is the person who does
my shopping, so he comes ths rounds in the morning to hear
what the cook wants. At first he was extraordinarily
runny. Alter ascertaining in our aog-hinaustani what
we should *Ave, I woula turn to Muhawmaa ana say • now, you
are to get a nice chicken, see that it is young ana tenaer,
an not an ola hen. Ana wnilo I continued my talk to
the cook I coula see poor Muhammad hopping uneasily rrom one
root to the otner ana waving two aimless hands aoout in front
or him ana near a stilled murmur : nice chicken young a*ia
tenaer not ola hen, nice chicken, nice chicken, not a nen
etc, aa capo. 3y tne time we naa aaaea, raisins, eggs
outter etc. his refrain naa oecome most entertaning
nice cnicken - - three pcunas Oj. raisins, little ones no
stones — - - 5 aoz. eggs, see tnat t*.ey are fresh, 18 cr
19 for a kran - - - .30 atones or gooa outter (— about 1 lb.’)
try not to get it with airty linger marks, oirty ringer
marks, nice cnicken etc. etc.
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 [424v] (870/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946969.0x00002e> [accessed 21 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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