[2] Born to a Scottish father and an Indian mother from the Bhojpur region, he was fluent in Persian, the court and intellectual language of India in his day.

[3] Skinner composed several works in the language, including an extensively illustrated manuscript Kitāb-i Tashrīḥ al-Aqvām (History of the Origin and Distinguishing Marks of the Different Castes of India), now held by the Library of Congress.

[6] The historian Mildred Archer said: "Among military adventurers who have served in India, none was more dashing than the half-Indian leader of the famous Irregular Cavalry Corps known as Skinner's Horse.

His father was Lieutenant-Colonel Hercules Skinner (c. 1735 – 12 July 1803),[1] an officer in the East India Company Army of Scottish origin.

[8][9] She was taken prisoner at the age of fourteen by Maharaja Chait Singh of Benares State, and later came under the care of his father, then an ensign, who treated her with much regard.

[17] Skinner had an intimate knowledge of the characters of the people of India, and his advice was highly valued by successive governor-generals and commanders-in-chief.

Designed by Major Robert Smith it was built between 1826–36 to a cruciform plan, with three porticoed porches and a central octagonal dome.

He was first buried in the Cantonment Burial Ground at Hansi and after a period of 40 days was disinterred, and his coffin brought to Delhi, escorted by 200 men of Skinner's Horse.

Emily Eden, sister of Governor-General George Auckland records in 1838 that Major Robert Skinner, was "the same sort of melodramatic character" as his elder brother and made a tragic end.

[24] A grandson is mentioned, also called James Skinner, who erected a statue of Queen Victoria upon her death, at his own expense at Chandni Chowk, Delhi.