![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 [‎374r] (767/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_0767.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 [‎374r] (767/1291)")
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 [374r] (767/1291)
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.
3
Lock is in th> middle of a c )rtain amount of
unpioasant and contentioua businoss just now ovor tho carpot
trade. it is one of the pleasures of our position hero that
w.) have ta.k >n ov ?r no t only the proi.ee oion ol British and Bl i
tish Indian subjects, but also of most European and American
firms. Thus the Swi«e~# 4 ^m-ef--Brandi Italian fl imi of
Castolli, mn by French agents, at present by M. Moreau,
and also two American firms. Of these latter the one is
really Armenian and is represented by Mirza Missirian,
a. comparatively respectable French-speaking Europeanised
person, the other by a Pandelli JosephTdos, a pretty poinonous
blend of Turkish-Amenian Christian with the manners and morals
you would expect. It isn't pleasant to have to stand over
the quarrels of those good parties and their various shadinesses
as if they were Britishers 1 But just at the monrnt the gr later
tension is with the Bank. All through Persia the Imperial^is
fairly well hated by Europeans and natives alike. No doubt
they have to drive rather hard bargains, but they often seem
to forget that it doesn't pay to get everyone’s backs up against
you and that th re is som-times unwisdom in exacting your legal
* pound of flesh”. They are always chivvying after insolvent
debtors ard fraudulent bankrupts of which you can imagine
Persia provides a fair share; and needless to say Lock gives
them every assistance possible in making good tlii|er claims.
The trouble begins when they wont see that they have no case.
One sample will suffice. Some "bankrupt” is reported in the
bazaar to have secreted a number of valuable carpets and other
good® and to be hiding them from his creditors (which in itself
is more than probable). Hereupon, without a shred of
evidence, the Bank write up and ask Lock to take instant action:
” we can of couse adduce no proofs, but the imrnour is current in
th > bazaar and as you know there is no smoke without fire, so
we would request that you should press the Deputy Governor to
have the man examined under the bastinado and made reveal the
hiding place of his valuables'.' Father will like the "no smoko
without fire" addition to English law about he: rsay evidence,
and you will all appreciate the (truly Persian) idea of cross-
examination under torture. The letter continues in a somewhat
querulous tone (Mashallah's cooking ?) to imply that Lock in^
such cases tends to be slack and that this is due to 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.
's
interference and dislike of the Bank Mirza (a most marvellous
paragon of virtue) who they fear is not quite appreciated at
the Consulate aid by the devilish ingenuity of the N-wab is
prevented having access to Lock when he wants it^I
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 [374r] (767/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946972.0x000012> [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