![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 [‎304r] (621/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_0621.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 [‎304r] (621/1291)")
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 [304r] (621/1291)
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.
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b66ii shaving — vf*.in [email protected] ior a inontlx past, and. a.11 Wdo
ready. Shaved and uniformed Lock started on reassuring me tha
it was most unlikely that th P.R. would come ashore till after
lunch. I proceeded leisurely to have the guest-room finally
put right the most recent spiders swept away (they collect with
the most evident pleasure in a room that has just been cleaned)
and gherally to give a last look round before dressing myself.
Just'casually and by the merest chance I took up the telescope
after a few minutes to see how far Lock had got on his way to
launch when X perceived to my horror that two coats were
rowing in and they would be ashore in a few minutes. I had
just time to confirm my provisional orders^about lunch,^hop into
a clean dress and greet Sir Percy. The Investigator had to
go on to Buahire in a hurry and jats^t disgorged him as quickly as
possible so Lock had met him^before he had had tim• to reach the
launch at all.
He is the most delightful person to have in the house.
I had oeen in a certain amount of mild trepidation beforehand
lest my housekeeping after the style of Bushire and Muscat should
seem very crude aud unsatisfactiry, but he is so nice that it is
impossible to worry. I knew, as soon as I saw that he un-
olushingly had 5 cups of tea, that things would oe all right I
He likes light lunches of list and milk puddings, and he comes
to dinner with a thoroughly good appetite which ignores any
shortcomings in the other sauces.
We had heard awful rumours about his indefatigable ways
of working all day and night and I was afraid Bock would be a
wreck; but these were all a horrid libel. He is quite nice and
peaceful, smokes after meals before setting to work, is delighted
to have a game of tennis in the afternoon and sits chatting after
dinner - best of all turns in at ten l Theoretically he does
not sleep after lunch, out at any rate he goes off to his room
"to read files" and lets us go off to sheup. Twicf however,
Lock has gone in to speak to him and found him fast asleep,
not to be wakened bji any ordinary means, in an upright chair
at the table. We think it more comfortable to lie down bit
chacun_ a ion _gout I
He is staying at least a week so there is not the horrid
hurry of Mr. Wood's visit, and Lock and he are working through
all these long-delayed questions in comfort. Happily he seems
to take very sound views on all that has been happening (viz,
the view that Lock has done exactly the right thing 1 ) and Lock
hopes that he will stand behind him and give the sheikh a good
and well-deserved dressing-down.
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 [304r] (621/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946969.0x00006e> [accessed 19 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
- Usage terms
- Creative Commons Attribution Licence