![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 [‎604v] (1230/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_1230.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 [‎604v] (1230/1291)")
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 [604v] (1230/1291)
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.
4
glad enough, if you ask me, to see someone else fight out ^ < r > ‘
the important question whether we shall be masters in our
own Consulates and T.O.s admitting to
Bast
(Per.) A Persian custom allowing an individual to seek asylum at a designated location.
only such
privileged cases as we consider have some grievance or
show of real grievance, and ejecting as trespassers those
wfto cannot show real cause for requiring sanctuary.
If the Legations had fought the principle at the time
of the absurd
Bast
(Per.) A Persian custom allowing an individual to seek asylum at a designated location.
by which the Persianf obtained for them
selves their absurd Constitution, the H story of Persian
development in these last years might have been a good deal
more cheery than it is.
There was one little unpleasant passage with Tanner
over the whole business. He was for at once giving in
and getting rid of the people, and cut up awfully rusty
over Lock’s attitude; Infact his letters are raunjiments of
how not to write. He denied that the T.O. was in any
way bound to hand over a refugee to the Gov. even if the
latter had as in this case a warrant for his arrest, and he
implied that Lock had no care for the dignity for the T.D.
when he could encourage the Bakhtlaris to fire on it,
that he evidently rather hoped that the T.O. people would
all be killed especially the woman and children etc. etc. !J
It was all very childish, but also very annoying, for it
meant that there was a triator in our camp. And it also
meant that there might well be some truth in the Bakhtlari
gov.'s assertion that the T.Signaller was in league from
the first with the Nazim and had encouraged the Bastls to
come in and stay in. However, by patiently expounding
the cose line upon line, and sedulously avoiding taking
the remotest notice of innuendoes and Insults, Lock succeeded
in bring round the worthy Tanner to his side, whether as
a convert by conviction or merely because he sees that Teheran
are supporting Lock and that therefore he cannot put up much
fight, we are not sure. It does not matter a button so
long as he now plays the game; but I think there is no doubt
that his earlier attitude did aggravate the situation a good
deal. Howver, thanks to Lock's extraordinary patience
no ill-feeling or friction were engendered even by T’s most
provocative letters. And nothing can at the moment exceed
the latter's complaisance. In fact he implies; this is
wh t I was urging you to do all along.
Lock reckons the Journey down will take about 6 days,
allow a week to square up downthere and 6 days for return.
I am not counting therefore on seeing him before about 3
weeks, vfcz. end-ef 3 rd or 4 th September. I don't let
myself dwell on risks, but I shall be oddly glad to see him
back, knowing that stray brick bats are apt to hit the
peace makers in such cases. I wish you could have seen
him go off with in high spirits, with the light of battle
in his eye. He will probably be able to write you
befor't from Bam. You may even get his next 1 tter a week
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 [604v] (1230/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946970.0x0000c1> [accessed 21 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