![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 [‎432v] (886/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_0886.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 [‎432v] (886/1291)")
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 [432v] (886/1291)
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.
iXIX.
V *1 •*
KERMAN,
27 — 0 — 1913 .
^ Horn ie Thursaay morning ana no Imtor !« ovon
It,
bogun.
Thoro itjn’t a groat anal ol nows, but such as
is, I'a bottor try ana put it togothru’. Tho post
this wo ok hasn’t y«»t turnoa up (it usually oomos on Tuos.)
and wo aro boginning to fear that it may havo boon lost.
Thoro aro rumours that a hugo aown-going caravan, tho
first that had darod to start for agos, and thoroforo a
vory ’fat’ ono, has boon lootoa only two ana a half marchos
from tho Ami i Muiakhkham's hoadquart<u’s of tho momont.
It haa about 500 animals, of which 200 or so bolongod to
tho Eastorn Rug Co. (Raaflaub’s), thoso in fact which wo
saw doing packod. Tho E.R.Co.'s loss alono will amount
to something liko £ but of courso thoy aro covornd by
insurance. Only how is trade to flourish ?l Mr
Steward had sent off with the E.R. Co.’s goods all his
winter kit and some 20 rugs and carpets that ho had put
most of Ms spare cash into (I fancy); ho probably had not
insured, so it will bo rather hard on him. Wo had sent
the spare soda-water flask (a huge heavy natron foot thing)
to be ro-ohargod, ana if it is gone I suppose wo shall just
have to got another. The present one may of course give
out any day (they have no indicators to show how low they
am getting) ana there is no/moans of getting soda water
b re than to make it yourself.. It is not of course a
necessary of life, but one likes to have for for guests
and on very thirsty days. We can got all sorts of
interesting orange- and lime-juices which make pleasant
summer drinks. But as a matter ot fact wo haven’t yet
tired of the delicious water which contrasts so pleasantly
with the tasteless distilled stuff of Bahrein. The climate
here is so deliciously dry that you can get your drinks
very cold by evaporation. They make porous earthen jars
into which you put tho water. A proportion of it slowly
oozes out and by continual evaporation keeps the temperature
down so that the water inside becomes quite as wold as
ones cares for it. The soda water wn hang up in the
garden under the vine-shade in a casket full of straw. |
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 [432v] (886/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946970.0x00003e> [accessed 18 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