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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 [‎281r] (575/1291)

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. .

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3 .
00 a corpse on it ror our inspection. Lock asKea some question
Ox tne oearers wnen suaaonly ties corpse sat up a little and
oegan to explain no ana wnere ne was iiurt.. it was only a
case or assault and oattery ana Lock pacxea tnem on at once to
tLe Mission Hospital to nave tne man seen to. Dr. Mylrea
pullea nim round #itn some trouolej he was suitering more from
naving oeen totally neglected for two or tx^ree days tnan from
tne original injury tnougn tnis was serious enougn. In a
w..«k ne was «i acnargea quite cured ana aole to oring nis actioi
in person.
Anotner day it was a tiorous Persian witn an almost invis
ible ait carefully chensned aoraton on nis forehead; he said
nis neighooure were trying to take nis life. He naa done no-
tning to annoy them exept call tnem thieves ana a lot of foul
names . We ootn tnougnt tne scratch exceedingly moderate
retrioution, ana Lock g&ve nim some good aavice aoout keeping
a civil tongue in his head. He was arraia to go nome alone
ior tear ot oeing killed tnougn Lock assured nira that it >vould
oe all rignt and tnau ne would instantly investigate any case
or muraer Should it arise l Sven this did not rcat|6u^o nim
so Lock sent a chdprassi witn nim to go ana put nim safely
intv niu nouse - ana we nave neara no more of the matter.
^In court too funny cases crop up now and tnon. One day
an cJanuhly. ugly wizenea old negro came in to apply for manu
mission. it turned out tnat his master was good to him, fed
aid clotnea nim well, aid not overwork him and never oeat him,
so Lock askea him what he wanted nis freedom for. He admitted
Q-ia- dot tninK it in tne least likely that he could earn
xxla Keep, cwt still he was ooaurate in wanting to oe free. At
last cross-questioning elioited the confession that he wanted
oo xuairy. The master st^d ne had given him two wives at
diiierent times, out he was never satis!led; at last the truth
was come at - he wanted »a wnite wife" (viz. one not a negress).
This caused great l&ughtor, ana tne master pointed out that his
appearance was against nim and it wasn’t easy to get nim a very
nice-looKing wife. Witn a mixture of amisement ana reluctance
ne aaiiiiuted this nimself and also his aosolute inaoility to
support a nouseh<kla on what he was liKely to earn. Finally
he and the master went away on tne oest of terms, with tne
understanding that ne was to oe provided with as nice a wife as
possiole in the circumstances even if sne couldn’t oe wnite I
It would ox course nave oeen tne most mistaken kindness to have
set tne poor old fellow free to starve wnile the master was

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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
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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 [‎281r] (575/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946970.0x000085> [accessed 3 July 2026]

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