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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 [264r] (530/1291)
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.
2
Whatever the upshot of the matter is, it is clear that Sofi will
have to leave Bahrein, even if he is not dismissed altogether from
the Government serv^ice. You can imagine all the vexation and
annoyance this affair is causing,(as well in itself as because of
the discredit it brings to the
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
staff] arid all the letters to
Bushire ana the hearing of evidence etc. While all the time
the ordinary cases have to oe carried on with this very man acting
as head clerk, for there is absolutely no one else to act 1
Happily Indians are strange impassive creatures, and Lock says the
situation is not half as embarrassing as it would oe were the
delinquent English. He does his work in the same calm unruffled
way as before, and whatever thougnts are passing inside him^make
no alteration in his manner. It is a quality one cannot but admire.
The whole business may have this much ultimate advantage
that it may lead to a better and more efficient staffing of this
place - for the present crisis is a reductio ad absurduin of the
one-horse show. Meanwhile it has a great deal more to do with
Lock's fever,in my opinion, than the weather ot' the lack of exercise,
and it will ue a great comfort when things settle down properly,
though this cannot be for many months. For even if Bushire can
send over two people at once to relieve Lobo and Sofi, it will be
a long time before they are used enough to the work to be really
useful - and in any case it is most improbable that Bushire has
a supply of spare clerks up its sleeve.
The still more internal politics, if you will allow the
phrase, are growing quite interesting - to my mind. We have
taken on another man - a very decent Persian, Yusuf, who has a long
time been on as a chaprassi, and who has a good deal more than the
average intelligence. He has taken very kindly to being house—maid,
and I have no difficulty in getting on with him. In fact I liked
him better than any of the other peo^fple about the place, before he
was promoted upstairs; he is the one person who always tries to under
stand my Hindustani. You would have laughed to hear me giving
him instructions about making beds etc.,* and dusting the drawing
room, and cleaning brasses and all the rest of it. But you can
make a few weeds go a lomg way, if you eke them out with gestures,
and if the other person is willing*.
We are more content now that we have another responsiole
person aoout. If Caitan were ill (you always must reckon on native
servants being liaole to go off work with fever), or if ever we had
to part with him — which heaven for fend — we should have a second
string to our bow. Indeed Yusuf has already been an asset for
his oetng here enabled us to dismiss Ashraf without inconvenience.
We have felt for a long time that he was bound to go, but he sealed
his own doom the other day by giving me impudence. Lock
happened to be at hand axid heard it, and fired him down the stairs
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 [264r] (530/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946970.0x00004c> [accessed 7 July 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