Lorimer , David Lockhart Robertson , 1876-1962 , Lieutenant-Colonel , civil servant and linguist

Lorimer , David Lockhart Robertson , 1876-1962 , Lieutenant-Colonel , civil servant and linguist

David Lockhart Robertson Lorimer was born on 24 December 1876. He entered the Indian Army in 1896. From 1898 to 1903 he served with the QVO Corps of Guides, and was seconded with the Khalibar Rifles from 1901 to 1903. He entered the Indian Political Service in 1903, serving with them until 1924. His posts included HBMS Vice-Consul for Arabistan (1903-1909); Political Agent, Bahrein (1911-1912); HM Consul, Kerman and Persian Baluchistan, and ex-officio Assistant to the Political Resident, Persian Gulf (1912-1914); Assistant Political Agent, Chitral (1915); on field service with the IEFD, Mesopotamia, and Civil Governor Amara (1915-1916); HM Consul Kerman and Persian Baluchistan (1916-1917); Political Agent, Loralai, Baluchistan (1920); and Political Agent, Gilgit (1920-1924). Lorimer was awarded a Leverhulme Research Fellowship for 1933-1935. He also received an honorary fellowship of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, in 1953.

Lorimer's publications included Syntax of Colloquial Pashtu (1915); Persian Tales (1919); The Phonology of the Bakhtiari, Badakshani, and Madaglashti Dialects of Modern Persian (1922); The Burushaski Language, volumes I and II (1935), and volume III (1938); The Dumaki Language (1939); The Wakhi Language (1958).