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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 [433v] (888/1291)
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 .
Whmi you waiit it cool you pour watnr ovor tho strew and
swiiig tbr» baskot pnndulum-wien backwards and forwards.
In loss than half an hour it is as cold as ico. Which
things am all a groat luxury.
Wn havo boon oating our own apricots at wavy moal.
Thoy aro not vory largo but aro beautifully swoot. Tho
local chorrios makos dnlicious stows otc. but aro too
bittor to »>at for pleasure plain. Our oxporimonts at
crystallising thom woro not vory successful, but tho drlod
ones look vory hopeful and will very one's 'stowed prunes'
in the Winter. We have the roof now covered with halved
apricots drying in the sun.
We are getting on nicely with our reformed tennis-
court. The new wall has risen to a stately height of
10 or twelve foot. About two feet from the top Lock made
them uuild into it some strong sections of ws^d tree trunk
about 4 inches in diameter. These now project and will (
form pegs to hang our screens on if these ovr 'crystallise
(as Bus hi re would say). a& a ° on aa the wall was ready
we took away the rickety pigling ana levelled the ground
back to the wall so that now we have an extra 5 ^ yards or
so. The next thing is to get hold of a mason with special
skill in spreading mud surfaces to re—face the whole and then
we shall move the court down and havo lots of room at each end
have also had netting locally made to prevent the balls
from flying off at the one remaining closed side^ open
Bosiao the court on a sort of raised mud cumj that thorn
was Lock is having made a *>o~* curved 'lounge' combating as
it wore of throe stops of raised mud Wi ioh will make a
seat for spectators and save the hauling in and out of chairs
on Wednesdays. We had an amusing afternoon yetorday
Icying out the curve. We first thought of a half ellipse,
arid our united brains went into locating the foci etc.
we got it all right and wore vory proud of it but for practical
purposes wn found that it was very flat at the back and too
suddenly curved at the ends, so wo took a centre at some
little distance and made a section od a circle which give us
just whet we wanted. It ought to seat 25 people.or so
easily and for state occasions we can spread it with rugs and
carpets. It will save the servants a lot o: trouble and
time on Wednesdays. Needless to say, the poles_and nets
and things — like evrything else in the Consulato^wire
rotten. W" have ordered more, but whether we shall ever
see them or not depends on the Baluch and others l ^
Wn are grdually getting the furniture into a stao 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 [433v] (888/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946971.0x0000b2> [accessed 17 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