![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 [‎295r] (603/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_0603.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 [‎295r] (603/1291)")
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 [295r] (603/1291)
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.
2 .
it was if £0 was to b© expected to deal witL it. ^ e ®‘ ne ^ ^5)
to me 'tdat tde moment for a demonstration haa c 001 *’ >
my nerves were a bit ruffled oy tne pain ana ^ by t**Lr
Seaside manner" and this must be my excuse, anynow I emitted *
veil tnat would nave done credit to an Indian squaw and ouriea
au siiione 3,i,Wn,. U -as ^.lly - a^.,for
roif* nr it wsu* only tompor and “tiio otd 0 r d< wad & £*
^rVxl Z-.lrV^ ..an f a poor ^ or =b y
triad to eaplain tdat sia was ooly trying to find out -^atnar
tnara was any extarnal swelling. Still i - w* ! ' «•>.•••»--•
to regret tne outOurst wnolly,for you never saw anyone so
agreeaoly onastened ana ever after tney talxed nioe and lo
and dandled my ear witn tne utmost deference ..
Tde ear was "evidently" (tney said) too sore^to oe ^
witnout anastnetics so it was aecided to give me a wdiif of
cbloroform" on tne morrow, and you oan imagine bow
ana interesting I felt. My one regret was tnat I wasn’t
still at sonool - it would nave oesn so lovely to go oacK and
ducX to tne otner girls aoout it.
I understood tdeir "wnirf" quite literally, and put on
a nice fresd frocK. and nice new collar for tne occasion - and
was rather aggrieved tnat Look tnougnt I dad better dave very
little creakfast. I pictured myself sitting picturesquoxy
on tde sofa taxing an intelligent interest in tdeir proceedings
i*s‘ £ff“i«tly affected ay ta.ir *.Wff oof to feel any
attendant pain. However, tney clapped me on to tne bed
(ruining w nice clean dress l) where as it irurned out I was
to spend tde greater part of tne/week. It ia
tding to be put under chloroform and I congratulated myseli v 5
much on having the chance of the new experience ^
serious operation that it usually means. As a sensation it
is not altogether pleasant, but nothing like so unpleasant as I
had supposed. There is a very strong temptation to str gg e
ana pull off the mask £rom one’s face so as to ge iu ce *■£?.**£
air instead of the sweet, tainted stuff and tnen a y® arn ^f ^
make faces or put your finger to your nose just *o snow tnem th
you are not nearly off yet and they need not think it. I
lay quite still and breathed the stuff as deep as I could, oi
still U took a good ten minutes oefore my nioe strong Ii ® art *
'the firm steady pulse of which they all admired) would give in
and let me go quite over. It is uncanny the gradual growing
number and more numb of your limbs while you seem to oecome
more and more'a living soul, and your mind is perieotly wiae
awake and alert and you oan think and reason and take stock of
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 [295r] (603/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946969.0x00009d> [accessed 23 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