![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 [‎428v] (878/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_0878.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 [‎428v] (878/1291)")
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 [428v] (878/1291)
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.
csuso difxicmltios. Lock £nd T haa nono, ait may
havo boon bocauso wo oloctod to got marrioa in tho Church
of Ireland. Tot ac tho Church is happily aisostablieboc
in Ireland i can’t son why thorn should bo proforrmtial
troatraont. Howovor, they probably founa some way of got
ting out of thoir difiiculty.
It was very hard luck on Edith to havo to do hor
flit, ovon though it was only across tho road, in torrents
of rain; but I hopo now that thoy am settled down they
are enjoying the luxury of the larger quarters ana have
boon able to solve thoir s rvant problems.
With all their faults thorn is something abdut tho
early-rising native that one will miss badly at home.
Ours live one and two miles walk away and yet make no
trouble about bringing our morning tea at 6 and having the
day’s cleaning and dusting done before we appear at about
6.45. There are not many home servants who would ’rise'
to that.
fin have slipped into hot weather habits again.
Lock gets to work beforo 7 , we breakfast at 8 and work til-
one o’clock lunch, then usually take a siesta till tea
time. One doesn't always sleep, but it is pleasant to
Ho down and rest with a book. t^° worst oi the hot
weather days is that there seems to be so little time in jf
them. One forgets that before lunch one has put in a
solid five hours’ work of some kind or other, and mourns (f
the wasted afternoons l
We ventured on a dinner party the other night, and
as far as domestic arrangements went, it went off ifuito well.
Rahim isn’t much of a waiter, but ho passes muster, and
Burzu made a very gallant effort (ho had never seen guests
at table before!). it is rather nice to be able to get
ice for special occasions; we had dear little shapes of jelly
with stuffed olives inside for horsd'oeuvres, a salmon
mayonnaise and wound up with a delicious ice-pudding. But
the company was heavy. We asked the two Mr. Stevens
as they will soon bo leaving Kerman, Mr. Brugmsnn (a new
arrival) and the Wrights. These latter have been very
seedy ana could not come, so Mr. Gardner filled up our crow.
Mr Brugmann is supposed to bo a Gorman-Swiss, but he
must have a good deal of Eastern blood in him. pe has
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 [428v] (878/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946969.0x00007f> [accessed 26 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