![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 [‎633v] (1288/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_1288.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 [‎633v] (1288/1291)")
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 [633v] (1288/1291)
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.
KERMAN
85 .
4 - 11-14
6 In face of this terrible war It seems currish to think or
speak of one's private plans, and yet unless one can really he up
and doing they do occupy one's thoughts i£ater all.
uf course like yourselves we quite expected that all leave would
he cancelled in the Political Dept, as in most others; hut it was
only last post that we received the official confirmation of this
expectation. 'this is one of the penalties one pays for living so
far out of the world. As Colonel Ducat is otf his way here we are
to go down to Karachi and there await orders; prohahly for the N.W.
F T optler province, hut in what capacity we have not the remotest
inking As however political officers must he tumbling over
» each other, it isn't likely to he anything very important or exciting.
Lock has had no tyllday since his Illness in the Spring and Dr.
Dodson has advised him to ask whether it will be possible to allow
him a six months' holiday, whether in Persia or India (if all going
home is off) before he takes up the third post in this one spell of
duty. L. accordingly wired in this sense to Bushlre, hut
of course explaining that while he thought a rest and freedom from
official worries and responsibilities would he most desirable
at the same time, if really needed he was prepared to go anywhwre
in any capacity and do his work cheerfully to the best of his
ability and had of course not the least desire to subordinate
public interests to his own. ilThether we shall be granted this
leave we shall probably not hear till be reach Karachi. I have
good hope that we. may. L. is very fit on the whole, but there is
no doubt that he should have had some rest and change after his
illness and to go straight off to hard and new work in anothejtr
language would be pretty severe. If, however, there is really
work needing him we shall not gie these things another thought,
we shall just make the best of it, and I shall try to save him
all unnecessary worries in the house and with the servants.
Meantime our hands re very full with packing. 17 cases
are alrefry packed and the tin linings soldered down^the mules
are engaged and with luck we hope to get off by Sat. Poor
Col. Ducat is already in B.A. and will be getting very impatient
for our arrival. There must have been some muddle about his
coming out 6 weeks before his time. It is hard on him, but also
a little hard on us to be thus hustf&led. However, all is going
nicely.
fle have no new letters to acknowledge. «e have wired to
B.A. to have our letters intercepted there and we think we shall
not miss more than perhaps one lot. %
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 [633v] (1288/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946973.0x00001b> [accessed 30 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