![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 [‎505v] (1032/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_1032.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 [‎505v] (1032/1291)")
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 [505v] (1032/1291)
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.
xxxmi
K B R U A H .
12 -11-13.
The invalid r'xob'resses splendidly, his f ..:ver has now been
quite at an ond for several ays, and he is all owed more comN-
pany. I snend a good hour or so with him every forenoor^ and
vrhon we have chatted a little I ijlve him an ’English lesson’,
’"hich comforts him a little for the forced inactivity.
He learnt his English from a negro on the Congo ! So you
win not b surprised t oh oar that his pronunciation is a little
strange; on the other hand h© has evidently read a lot and Knows
an amazing number of words, so that 11 ho really wants is a
little practice in spenKing and hearing it nd some hints as to
what words r-ro merely literary and which or. in overydayuee.
t/e read some easy bool, and after h© has gone over it and got
the sense I road it slowly allowed while ho follows the writing
I have warned him — I hasten to anticipate a smile — that he
may not learn the 1 test English accent in this house. Our
oedinaryconversation is still carried on inFrench which fatigues
him less thru too much English. We oth find the most ordin
ary French words escaping our memories under the influence of
dai3.y Persian, but we can male ourselves understood nd even
g t a good deal of fun out of ou3?6wn deficiencies; he is good
enough to o'y ti t :y Fr wch Accent (such as remains J) is much
nearer the real article than Mr. Garnett’s — which indeed I am
inclined to believe and at least c hope -- for our friend in
spite of his fluency otrucl me as extraordinarily ’English’ in hfc
Fr inch ronunci a ti on.
The C.M.S. arc basllng in he pres nee of thoir Bishop.
We went to hear him on Sund y and greatly enjoyed a fine ear
nest sermon from Ftthrr’ s favourite text : SAnd what doth the
Lord raouiro of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to
wall humbly with thy Ood’ ! . He is a tall ino-looling man fcwith
legs excellently adapted to gaiters) with a ?hlte-grey be'rd
neatly tri aed and a vory loasant manner. He and Mr. Rice
dined with us lost night and we had a very enjoyable time. be
had Veen t the bigMissionary Conference at otrush r cently ^nd
had of course seen and heard Cousin Georg© and Knew both
Arcgbichop Crozl r and B , , ..y non Dows# (now B . of Coil )
who married us. ,
He is I hope coming up to tennis this afternoon; he is avory
Keen player still in s Ate of his white hair.
Lock has teen very busy this woel nd^~ only in working off
arrears but also with another very troublesome Bankruptcy case
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 [505v] (1032/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946969.0x00001a> [accessed 27 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