![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 [‎581v] (1184/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_1184.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 [‎581v] (1184/1291)")
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 [581v] (1184/1291)
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 .
the ‘balance of the guests who had aaseabied.
Dinner went off excellently;' I had tahon a good deal of trouble
beforehand rehearsing once again with the boys how the waiting was
to be managed. T.q had four of then waiting and one to do the wines.
This aeatit that two sate of everything came in simultaneously and were
promptly circulated. Burzu raar^egd the champagne splendidly. Every
one seemed to appreciate it (of those who tool: sine at ail) and we
accounted for five large bottles. Conversation vent very gaily, tho
you couldn’t hvc called It either intellectual or witty. Finally
when the Part and Madeira had gone round loch proposed, the King’s
health and we ladies soon withdrew to our coffee and ices. The
men ultimate!,y wound up in the billiard room and played poo* with
plenty of e> elt .nant. 7 s got off to bed finally about Ilf.^.
It is a great relief to have It ell over and 1 don’t honestly think
things could have gone better.
My children’c party is knocked on the head by rain today; altho
I am sorry, it is perhaps as well to have a little pause. The
Tournament oap to have started tomaorrow, but the* poor newly-laid coir
court is deep in mud; I greatly fear we shall have to have it relaid.
The Taylors seem very happy up here. It vould touch you deeply
to see h'- brave they are. Mrs. T. is using up some dainty little nr
materials and ribbons she bnd got from home for her own baby
to make infant shoes for the Triplet Wrights. have begun Barchft
cheater Torera aloud in the evenings and I think they enjoy it.
They have promised to squeak i’ the reading bores them. I am glad
to resume it for * find that it suits Lock far better than conver
sation which is apt to grow too interesting or too animated for sleep
and games pall if played every night. fe had a delightful Sunday
evening reading Job and Isaiah and Browning (not in extenso). The
Taylors had not read "The Epistle of ^arshiah 1 ’ and enjoyed it
immensely. Lock readlt to us, which is always a gr eat treat to me
as I hear quite enough of the sound of my own voice on ordinary
nights.
It will be absolutely splendid if Papa and Mama do ultimately
contrive to pitch their tents in Dublin for a time, and it will
certainly add enormously to our happiness and peace of mind if we are
not torn in two between two cent ‘es of bone life. But on the other
hand we 1c hope that no thought for us will influence them unless it
seems that aloe for Papa’s health Dublin is as promising as anywhere
else. We must remeber that Lock really needs a quiet and* peaceful
time to pursue his hobbies without hustle or fatigue, and that
probably trvfeelling and sightseeing, however delightful in themselves
would just be the very least restful things he could have. We shall
look forward with the keenest interest to the filial decision; only
once more insisting that Para’s and Mama’s convenience must come
before ours.
-
.
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 [581v] (1184/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946967.0x0000a8> [accessed 17 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