![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 [‎590v] (1202/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_1202.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 [‎590v] (1202/1291)")
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 [590v] (1202/1291)
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.
;o
a m an /
2 .
Picture she draws of It too. Imagine the htunan 'orute, with
absolute power of life and death in hie own harem, and no
■nublicity to restrain him. It ia true that all the setter
neopie would reprobate cruelty to 'Tires and children; hut hie
roost intimate acquaintances may eat uid smohe wlth/Mw day
after day and not have an inkling of how matters are. 'Ter
nave the' women any right of appeal anywhere, nor has any
human creature the right to interfere. m*a all our clvilisatio
and all our centuries of Christianity we have our wife heaters
and our children boat ore , who are net deterred by f'sn.r of
the "cruelty men’, nor the loathing of their neighbours, .lust thi
think what they vould he with Persian opportunities.
liiss Bird is aico entertaining on the subject of Swedes.
She was on duty daily during the Dr. »s lllnece, no had Sota
of oopcrtunlties of oosemd.ng their ways. Here is one curious
touch", rather off the typenof thing; I have already told you.
On the funeral day, the Russian Consul, alone of all the European
had managed to orepare a h ndacne wreath. It 5 .s not an easy
task here with few flowers and no frames or wire or general
experience. And a lot c * tine and thought \ probably the
Cossacks’) had gone into the creation of a huge wreath of
vine leaves with a knot or two of white flowers. Then they
nad raised a largo blue ribbon of the true Swedish colour
and laboriously painted on in letters of the tmo Swedish yellow
a legend about the sympathy of the "Ccneulat Imperial de Puseie"
Afsfer all was over and all the other floral offerings
had been roverently removed and placed "1th 1 he eoffinb or on
the beer, dies Bird ca the Russim '• reath lying chucked into a
corner with the dirt and swoe;oings of the room, end she called
Mrs. R.S attention to what she inevin d the oversight or the
stupidity of the servants. Madame P.’s reply was ’‘oh, vee do
hate dee Russians”. Miss Bird later on saw 01 in and pointed 1
it ougfU to him, to be met y precisely the same renin «we^
detest the Russians from our cradle”. And the wreath had
been deliberately thrown there ilth contumely on .pu rpose.
Gan you imagine anything at, once more babyish, more contemptible
more ungrateful, or mors impolitic. Of course the sermanta*
chatter vill not fail to carry the news sooner or later to
the ears of the Imperial Consul (!) and I think any man might
be forgiven for resenting the insilt to his country implied
in repudiating what was at least a courteous tribute.
I cannot lounch today into the tales we have had from
Cuno of the Telegraphs who accompanied poor old 11® down to
Bandar Abbes. I shall try to fit them in next time. They are
really too good to lose. The one gets really weary even of laug
laughing at Swedes. The valet had had a relapse from sitting
up suddenly and eating forbidden things when he was for one
moment left alone on parole. It is hoped however that it will
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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
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 [590v] (1202/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946969.0x000053> [accessed 26 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100179946969.0x000053
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100179946969.0x000053">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 [‎590v] (1202/1291)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100179946969.0x000053"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_1202.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- 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