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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 [532v] (1086/1291)
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
f
XL VI. 10—1—14.
Ve are being cheated out of our Sunday morning’s walk by
a horrid hot dust-blov/lng wind whclh has raised our morning
temperatire from Its normal 33 ' or 28 suddenly to 55 J So here
goes for a start at my letter.
Nothing very exciting has been happening. The Invalid
Is going on splendidly; so much so hat Dr. Dodson who saw him
yesterday after the lapse of a week cou£d hardly believe his eye*
He Is to be allowed to drive any day that his Rals^can negotiate
a carriage for him, and after to-morrow he Is to be allowed In
to meals, at any rate to lunch and tea. I regret to say that
In our hearts we view this with some consternation. He talks
English so brokenly and so slowly that I fear It will be rather
terrible; also his only topic of conversation, even with Major
Gl. in their native Swedish, is what he has last had to eat or
haply may next expect. This is perhaps natural, but not en
livening.
For the rest life resolveslteelf into one eternal struggle wh
the dishonesty of the servants'. The cook Is terrific, and I
regret to say he reduces me to the expedient of counting eggs out
one by one and watching like a lynx all the time we are in the ste
store room lest he collar and carry off a shoulder of mutton or
something under his coat. I caught him with one one day !
Of c urse when trapped he always has some perfectly plausible
excuse which seems to put you In the wrong. I am afraid I shaiix
be able to keep him very long; but he is too good a cook to b
parted with lightly. Mirza Hussain Is as bad if not worse,
one always expects tea and sugar to disappear and is content if <8
one can put a reasonable limit to It; but our Ispahanl friends
have unfortunately most catholic tastes in milk, biscuits, cake
and sweetmeats. But the great misery Is of course the fuel.
If, as I try tc^do on Saturdays (to avoid going the rounds on
Sunday) you leave out enough for two days, it Is invariably
finished at the end of the first day, and you have lost not only
y ur ne day’s supply but also your one day’s repose J 9f course
half the trouble lies in having guests, for you cannot seem to wt
wish to stint them In their supplies. I fancy when they are
responsible for their own housekeeping that they will not bum
fires Just so lavishly as they or their servants do now. You
wili think these thing s are becoming an obsession with me, but
hen I tell you that our fuel bill for December -- in spite of tte
very greatest care and economy (we only allow ou. elves one fire
In the eveni ng a nd a Uny little blaze for each meal) — amounted
to close on £ 10 /-, and oil to £ 5 /- you will see that one h
has good cause to be careful. Slthout supervision you would
be absolutely ruined ! Howver, happily the winter does not
5 ast all the year and the other matters will be far easier to
sup rvlse when we have no longer guests In the house.
The annoying thing Is that all these details mean not only am
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 [532v] (1086/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946973.0x000040> [accessed 22 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