![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 [‎507v] (1036/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_1036.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 [‎507v] (1036/1291)")
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 [507v] (1036/1291)
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
It refuses to make ■•hite bread orocones but curiously make* uite
docont cakes; I sup oae that the sugar tc. hides tne tas&e of
damp straw. Anyho ' as I want it chiefly for cakes I don't
greatly care. The local flour makes dark nd heavy cakes all
right cut is no cse for s nge cakes o-. aaorty or anything at all
'refined'.
The Gendarmes seen to be noing vary well and are qui tly
drilling and disciplining their non preparatory to expeditions
in the 3%)lng. They shot a recovered d sorter on the wry down
and just the other day ware obliged to shoot another man for
leading a small mutiny against a ntive officer. This has been
an eye-opener to the Persians who have never heard of rerhd dlaclt
pline before and to whom it seems vory cruel end cold-bloodod
to shoot a manbn principle though they quite understand your
utting his eyes out in a bad. tcaper; If the Swedes are wise as
well as firm some real discipline in their midst should have
an excellently tonic effect on the Kermani mind.
Since the departure of our guest things have been settling
down into their more normal groove. You would have been
amazed at the enormous quantities of sugar»candles, tea and
other suppliesof the kind dear to the ordinary servant's heart
which *' -uect -•n • hie ret Iners were anryaosed to oonsiae .'
Of course one was really quit helpless to kaep a check on such
things without running the risk of inuoonltaiity, out I was very
gl d^to be again in a position to keep some sort of control on
the household affairs* la all such oases it is of • ursa the
golden o portunity for your own rstrlners to fleece you, and thr
avail thomsolvos of it Ith delight.
I am delighted to be able to send you a fsw photographs by
this mall, which though they ' re not vory good will give you
some idea of the garden etc, The two big ones are LockTs and
were taken last L'ay, out he had no time to print and tone them
These copies are rather faint, ns he allowed me to try then and
I old pot rint the\ deep enough. I have written nil infor
mation on their backs; they will give some idea of our fascin
ating garden. The others you must Judge very leniently as
wo 7 ’ks of art; for they represent my second effort at photography
and were taken, developed, printed etc. 'll y ray very own self.
The result is rather dnawnio-loakiag, as it ..-eons they are oth
under-exposed nd under-printed (and "over-washed'’ I think I)
I am very sorry that I have not duplicate copies of the whole
lot so that you coulci each have a set tc keep; out our
photographic supplies are limited and I was o 11god to think of
ho uantities of paper consumed. LockVs two photos, and the
first one of my series (vhivh will have most interest for you
though it is a >ore libel both on Lock nu .r.G.) are in dupli
cate but I hsrve to ask Papa i Kama to be co very kind as to
forward the remainder of my series to Clonskea when they them-
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 [507v] (1036/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946972.0x000031> [accessed 19 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