![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 [‎404r] (827/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_0827.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 [‎404r] (827/1291)")
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 [404r] (827/1291)
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.
cro&sy
i
11m flfeu. Wlvm th m bfj£.ting down hiao boon dono, tho two
1 igbt. horizontfcl boams aro rovorttod (by an ingoniaus dovioo
ol a curved pio«-> ol wood find s. bow—string iaoe.) ao that
tho back aot ol throsds bocom )S tho front ono and thi
front ono b'loom ;a th > oa.ck g .'t« jn this way the vortical
ttr-oads a,ro as it wore dstwoon f.ch stitch, wh.
adds to tho solidity fena strngth of tho carpot. This t »di-
ous doscription of tho process can giv ■ you no id a of tho
sp >d with which th^. work is dono. so quickly is th ^ knot
nirCi and oh * wool cut and. the last half dozon stitchos boat x-
into place that you sou nothing out a flash of ling rs end z h-t
whisking ol a knife. Wh m lour or five rows have b<r n dont
the h sao. nirn oi tho ronun cornos along with a le,rgo curved
soissdrs f ad trims off the raggod ends of wool loft by the Nr
weaver and then for the first time you can really sou tho
pattern. Underneath the low ir larg begin is a sort of
trench two lo t deep or so Into which the waste wool fails
down. This trench provides at the same time a j>lace for th
weavers to dangle their legs or to stand up in if they grow
tired oi sitting. Som” work-rooms whion are not fitted
with beams that will revolve make the wretched weavers stetc
up and up as the work progresses and eventually wcilc from
some uort oi staging. In many workrooms too where the
i.i uo.i is only a, hole dug out of the ground it is liable to
be damp ana to give the workers rheumatism (Lock says one can
g t it without a, damp trench i). One of th > r forms sugges
ted the Other day was a decree that there should bo no under
ground trench. You will see that if the waste was to fall
a.uove ground it would imrolvo the raising of the lower bean
and of the work and the weavers would have to work from chairs
oi kne ling or standing which they would probably find vastly
moi laborious than their favourite squatting attitude, and
lor most work-rooms it would involve a great deal of expense
in raising the roof moving the beams etc. all the while that
1 oik would b j suspended. I'f may ultima,t ly prove to be
a. desirable reform out if so It cannot be carried through at
on days notice. w- w *r * partloualarly interested in notic
ing those things as Lock hopes some day when he has had tim ;
to study the actual conditions of the w *avers he may be able,
i i co-operation with the big Eu r\ 04 rpet l i. rms(w>,o are all
most enlightened employers aim very ready to ao what they can
i-o promote the h alth of their people), and with the local
G-ovt. to get some r al r forms introduced, ana in particular
{<+04-
co limit the age at wnich children may be employ d the hours
circumstances in which they are allowed to work. The
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 [404r] (827/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946972.0x000032> [accessed 24 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