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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 [‎285r] (583/1291)

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. .

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2
passengers to land, ana reaucea tne tning to a i'arce so alter
twenty-rour nours Lock set tnem tree. TnanKs to Dr. Monaai's
promptitude tne principle is triumpnantly assertea. It is
only lair to Y. K. to say tLat ne appeared to enjoy tne joKe at
nis own expense nearly as muon as we did ana ne laugnea Leartily
over it today wita Lock. Loo/ iiaa written sympatnetieally
aoout tne nardsnip at tne time ana tooK care to tnanx nim proiuse
ly ior aiding us oy nis example to enforce tne regulations I
His tneory oi it is tnat ne went ox nia owix free will tne moment
ne neard tnat tne snip was canned.
Yusux was on tne snip coming oack ifom Busiiire and he
turned up tnat evening grinning aad happy, Lock asked him what
aoout the quarantine and ne proudly aaid he had , *e 3 caped M .
Lock explained to him the exiormity ox "escaping” and nt him
off to Quarantine; t.is could not damp nim for he was curating
with glee over tne tale of Y.K’s having oeen "caugnt", he said
it was all o/er tne oazaar ana everyone was chuckling.
Yusuf's return has restored domestic afiairs to a more
comrortaole footing ana we nave sent tne one-eyea genius to
look tor more appreciative employers. It is nice to have nis
nonsat crumpled face aoout tne house again, and his amusement
had started talking Persian in his
H
ana aeiignt to line that I
aosexioe are very funny.
la'far ana he are cot., very good
aoout helping me to find the woras I want, the former indeed
takes my education quite seriously and is always volunteering
tne Persian ror this or tnat. One picks up some cuious in
formation this way. In tne store-room cofck asks for some
cornrlour (Hindustani? xanrlowwer); would Memsahio like to know
the Persian name for "kanflowwer" ? - it is in Persian
"arrowroot" I
The attempt to learn Persian has haa one very interesting
result: I am oeginnixig to oelieve - wnat nothing else ever led
me to suspect - that I had really picked cp a little Hindustani l
I start out with a oeautiful and carefully prepared Persian
sentence out soon rina myself wallowing in more familiar
Hindustani tags and fragments. On these occasions Ja'far
slowly ana solemnly repeats it all in t^rsian and likes to hear
me say it all over again properly. The net result ox all tnis
attention is that I really am maxing some progress as ell as
getting some un out oi tne performance. I
I must tell you aoout an amusing case Lock had
A

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
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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 [‎285r] (583/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946970.0x0000a4> [accessed 21 June 2026]

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