![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 [‎462v] (946/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_0946.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 [‎462v] (946/1291)")
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 [462v] (946/1291)
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.
Whou x ddjfiuit(;ly £SGigj.iua him i apocisl job to ao,
I would oonii osck in fivo miiiuti• s aud s« o tho firo—wordhippor
or All toiling at it and my frioua Rahim noirhoro to bo s -on;
oi cours< I th<ni oalloa him oaok with igiiominy, out you can’t
light against radical and dotorminod shirking, so ho was montal
Hy doomod as soon as anything now turned up. Just thou Lock
got a letter from his old Mirza 01 Ahwaz saying that two boys
who had boon with l oc ^ lor a couple oi years wore most
anxious to come back to him hero of ho would have them.
The smaller brother was a little follow of ten when L. first
got him and was a bright amusing and willing child whom L. was
really iond of; the other was his older brother whom L» at
first Only took oocauso the parents would not allow the little
follow to go so far (from Ispahan to Ahwaz) alone; out he
also proved quite a pleasant servant and very respectable.
This suggestion soimod an anew r to our difficulties; we
wir d to Capt. Grey in Ispahan (L’s successor in the Ahwaz
billet) and he has very kindly arranged it for us/and the
youths started from Ispahan some two weeks ago and may turn 15)
in another fortnight or so. of course they may not settle
down ot they may have developed vices or they may not love a
mistress in the house, but they will see us through another
period and meantime enable' us to say good-bye to Rahim. I
look iorward to them greatly, because they seem to b fond of
L. but he assures me that th most 1 ova bit; P« -rsian loves him—
sell lirst i ud best l We think of putting the two brothers
On to tfu: tableand pantry work and giving the fire-worshipper
to the cook as an understudy; we have not been happy at having
no one to replace the cook if he goes ill, or no one to go
into camp with L. ii he were going and leaving me oehind.
The fire-worshipper will always 00 a difficulty with Muslim
servants out he and the cook get on all right and ho can talk
a sox't at Hindustani. the Ispahan! coys will be a comfort too
tor they can sleep on the premises whereas all these other ser
vants have houses miles away.
W< ; were d' lighted to see so appreciative a
review of Em’s poems in the Literary Supplement of the Times
of June 19 th. To get a good half column of big print as
well as the initial notice of some time ago is fame indeed for
a budding poet. And if they comment On a few ,, oddit^e8 ,,
which Em herself would be the first to acknowledge they cannot
say enough for the power and originality and promise shown
being 1 Irish" I* 11 sllowf,lCn D ' lu S macl '' for Miss LOrimer’s
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 [462v] (946/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946971.0x00008b> [accessed 3 August 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