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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 [619v] (1260/1291)
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.
Sar i Asiyat), near KERMAN
24 - 9-14
7 ?
0
Here we are In a very Jolly garden of three or four acres
with some fine trees and then a fine stretch of green vetch
'fields' broken by little vines * or 4 feet high, and several
very gay patches of flower beds, dahlias,roses / petunias etc. etc
It Is not at all unlike an English garden except for the little wp»
watife courses that Inevitably run along any sort of hedge. Just
before we left Kerman on the 19 th. your tele^gam of the 16 th. was
delivered telling of the Parents In Clonskea. It has added
Immensely to our pleasure here. A s we walk up and down our
garden paths Vefore breakfast or after tea,between our figs and
vines,we are picturing you all four taking tea on the miniature
lawn at Clonskea, and admiring the apples and the weeping willow.
It was splendid of Papa and Mama to brave all the fatigue of
the Journey and the terrors of our maligned climate. I hope
thst Ireland is doing her best to show what she can be like In
sunshine, and that Papa and Mama are taking a nice quiet time
In a cotre where thejre are not too many galleries and museums to see
I don^t think they will find us a very fatiguing family circle,
nor exacting. But there Is alwy&s a certain amount of dtrain
in making new acquaintances, not least perhaps when one is prepared
to like them,and In getting accustomed to a new dialect!
I am sure they will enjoy all the bab^y life at King's and aaitlis
Ylf i wish we could be with you all In fact as wer are in thought,
but on the other hand we should distract your attentions and add a
lot to the amount of talking to be done and heard, so it is better
as It is.
We have little news and as a holiday is the only chance of
working off arrears ofc correspondence, I am putting all my energies
Into other letters. ^lease therfore excuse this very short and
dull effort.
Lock spends most of the day working and hopes to get his I'rdae
Report finished and the A<imlnl 8 tritlon report thrown into shape
before we get back. Amid the distractions of every day at the
Consulate, It Is Impossible to get a spefcl of peace In wh. to think
consecutively. »e are getting however a good deal of pleasant
reading, and the morning stroll before breakfast gives distinctly
the flavour of holiday to the day.
it Is too good to be true that we shall have seriously to face
the problems of packing etc. on our return. Provided that the
war dfces not Injsome way knock our furlough altogether we ought to
be getting home 1 by the end of January, Just four years since our
leaving.
Love to everybody.
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 [619v] (1260/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946970.0x000060> [accessed 4 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