![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 [‎350r] (719/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_0719.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 [‎350r] (719/1291)")
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 [350r] (719/1291)
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
35Q
y
1
87 - 2 - 1913 .
H:jro is post—dfij almost upon us again without our Booming to
hav > had tim > to broatho. I for os )o wo shall s-oon b.' sighing for
tho fortnightly posts of Bahrein — but that is tho only thing wo
shall find to sigh for 1 This is a positively >xciting social
centre by comparison. Mr. Rico and Th > Mission iadi )s invit id ail
tho Buropoans to a picnie last Friday. Mr. Steward join >d us for
lunch aaid after it the four of us (including Mr. Gardner) sot off
on our ponies to find the spot. They had chosen a gully running
up into tho hills at th > back’of tho golf course ahout throe miles
off. As soon as wo had locaitod th i place, Ly th > signs of a few
sorvamts ana donk >ys, **:> founa wo had still som > tim> to spare
ooioro the tea—hour, so wo went off across the pla.in for a ride.
Tn pa^rts the plain is v >ry stony, but qy judiciously choosing your
track you can have oxc >11 >nt clear gound for a cantor. rod)
out a good distance almost to the foot of the "Black Rock", a gr jat
^ A. ,
• DOSt,
rugged mass of rock with a flat top that is a woii—known landmark
in the plain. Th in wo turned and mad > our wi-.y to the party.
After a bit of a climb up the gully that recall id som • of the
climbing oi our march, wo found tho tea spread out on a knife—like
ridge oi rock from which th >ro was a glorious vi >w across the
picturesque vail iy to the distant mountains beyond. Th * sun caught
the ridge aid k .ipt us ail pleasantly warm. W > had a jolly tea,
a most lavish collection of cakes, tarts ana sandwiches, snd lots
>L^ After tea we walk id a iittl) furth ir up the gully to
tn i so-call id "Spring of C^dw-milk". It c^n’t have be in locking its
the spring, for there weren’t more than about 2 gallons of wate<
-fying in h littlj pool urid<)r som i overhanging rocks. It must b>
a place of pilgrimage on a small scale for we saw doz ms of tatter id
rags dangling from the nearest bush; rags are a favorite form — and
one must admit an admirably inexp msive one — of offering at a
£iii ine in ch isvi p<-'.rts. Not only th i oush was dtisfigured by th i rags
ixit som i enterprising spirits had contrivid to fix a numb ir to the
rock-roof by means of little mudpies thrown up wet. The ingenuity
of the idea was undeniable, out you couldn't admire the soraid
stalactites. After an hour or so the sun b igan to sink and th.i
evening became quite chilly, so we all said farewell and scamp .ir d
horn i. It was a very pi ;asant afternoon.
On Sunday for moon Mr. Newman had promts d to call and carry
Lock off for a game of golf, so we asked him to come round to break-
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 [350r] (719/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946969.0x00000d> [accessed 25 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