![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 [‎461v] (944/1291)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000323.0x0002bc/Mss Eur D922_1_0944.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 [‎461v] (944/1291)")
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 [461v] (944/1291)
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.
It thou trauepiroa what wo guossod from tho first,
that h<» oxpoctf O. tho fathor to bo allow, a to livo with him
gratis in tho cousulatn quartors aua wash horo, using
no doubt incidontqlly our soap aud starch auh charcoal and
fuol, and. turn tho placo into a public laundry l Ho oaao
to ask mo for a "chit" to tako round and tout ior work.
W 1! askod how wo woro to know that tho fathor could wash at
all: oh you romombor thoso ’chits' on which you ongagod.
m< at Karachi, thoy worn all my father*s'* ! Wo 11 T
wrote a circular to say thatsthis dhobi had como a/id that
ho was not in my omploy and thoroofro that anyone who wishusd
was free to try him, out that I should bo gratoful if thoy ute
would ascertain that he did their washing on their own
premises or at some outside place and that any unauthorised
clothes fouxio at the Consulate would be impounded until
claimed oy their owners. Of course I told the dhooi the same
and he was awfully sorry for himself aud thought himself most
ill-used. Lock, however, was perfectly firm; whatever
concession one might have been willing to make it we had coeu
consulted beforehand, there was no question of being bluffed
intuit. Then the little dhobi's affection for his father
began to cool, and instead of lotting the poor men whom he
had dragged up hero from Karachi wait aud see whether outside
work would not turn up — as it certainly would after a little
if not in two days, bn — he announced his intention of
packing the parent home at once aud came to get money from
Lock fox’ the pui’pose. This set us thinking and as we wei’e
under no agx’eemotit to keep our own beauty and he had been un
satisfactory and restless threatening *>vory now a id then to go
home and leave us On the lui'ch, we interviowdd the father*
whdse.’ chits wo had engaged in the b*!giuiiiug*'jaua are ke ying him
and sending the dhobi himself to the right-about. T hope the
new one will pi'ovo satisfactory. He looks loss of a worm.
Oi ourso they are not i’(^ally "father” and son, out moi’ely
pals and caste-fellows. Our* ow^i little fcsllow is rather*
oast—down, but on the whole not sorry to got homo again, and
as I right I hear tho now one swinging the clothes outside a-id
swishing them down on his washing board while his sou Is huntin
for a donkey for himself to travel on 1
Our latest servant—solution will amuse you. We have
do on greatly dis-satisfled with Rahim; not that ho has any
positive vices, ojit that he will not do any work or take any
responsibility. Burzu does everything alone and R. just comes
in to meals aud hands a plate or two if he isu’t fo- ling too
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 [461v] (944/1291), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur D922/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100179946971.0x00003c> [accessed 6 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