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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 [616v] (1254/1291)
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.
5.
Is being dome. So i hit on the device of locfclng into the
barn the victim to whom the task Is allotted and letting him
out again when his yells announce that It Is finished I I
daresay this idea is also as old as Noah, but 1 thought of It
"all by myself" and amvery proud of it. It amuses everyone
without appearing to offend anybody, and I find it work admirably.
Ramazan (the negro) is doing excellently, and is very much
cleaner and twenty times more hard working than Mirza Husain .
Re Is also respectful and agreeable and so I hope we shall have
some peace until we go. A s he can cook at a pinch I have also
the comfort of knowin that we shall not starve If I am driven
some day to heave out my little scally wag of a cook.
"e had the Gov. Gen. to lunch last Monday and it was great
fun. He is an amusing man and he and lock get on well together
He has been most friendly, and especially since L. assisted him
to cellar the Nazim he exhausts himself In testimonies of good wll
(with a weak Consul, he would probably have had to give In to the
clamours of the 4000 Hastis and have lost a lot of prestige, beslfc
having the creature as a thorn In his side). To our dismay he
sent a pair of beautiful Kerman carpets, the finest we have seen
here wofRl£ at least 150 ^tumans the pair, and a heavy gold and
watch chain(about £12 or £ 15 ) with messages that they
were as a token of personal friendship and were for the Consul's
lady. This was most embarrassing, as there was nothing In
the Govt, store that we could at all give as an equivalent present
nor any funds to buy anything. After some cogitation'; L. sent
the
Nawab
An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India.
on the delicate Mission of persuading him to take them
back, explaining that they could not be accepted by us personally
on any terms whatever, that they would only be left behind when we
went away as Consulate property and that Govt, had no equivalent
presents to give. Then the old bird gave the greatest proofi of
real friendship that a Persian could give, for he consented to
take them back, only stipulating that we would please send them
back under cover of night ! It would be looked on as a terrific
insult were It known that gifts had been "refused". So^we got
mercifully quit of that Incubus. The awkward touch of their
being presented to the "lady" we fancy was picked up In Teheran,
where rumour has it that ladies who shall be nameless pocket as
much of this sort of swag as they can. If this is true, it show
a disgraceful laxity in diplomatic circles, wh. would happily mot
be tolerated in the Political. Since then the G.G. keeps sendlig
us gifts of fruit and so forth, wh. we would gladly be without
tut cannot refuse. Meantime he enjoyed his lunch, wh. really
was very successful, and Lock took his photograph in the verandah
afterwards. The plate seems very good, but we have not had
time to get any prints yet.
Now post time Is come. Good luck to all.
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 [616v] (1254/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946970.0x000081> [accessed 1 July 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