The exploits of Col. James Skinner (1778-1841), son of a Rajput woman and a Scottish soldier are well known in Shahjahanabad/Delhi. Skinner, an early 19th century mercenary and adventurer, founded Skinner’s Horse, a regiment that continues in the Indian army even today. The church he built, St. James Church, is located in the Kashmiri Gate area. The painting above is of the church in the early 19th century. This is from the National Army Museum's online collection. Although Skinner may have himself been regarded as a ‘half caste’, his church became iconic as a symbol of British presence in Delhi and an important tourist haunt on the Delhi circuit.
The fate of the other buildings in Skinner’s Kashmiri Gate compound is less well known. I came across an advertisement on the sale of Skinner’s Haveli (mansion) from 1861 which was released by his son Captain H Skinner in the English language paper, The Mofussilite (if you look closely at the painting, you can see a glimpse of the haveli in the far left hand corner). This was on for offers over Rs. 70,000. Have a read here:
“For sale- The well-known commodious mansion built by the Late Col. James Skinner in the City of Delhi.
The House is upper storied, the ground floor containing nine and the upper six rooms, with bathrooms and every convenience attached. The house stands in a large garden, with a circular tank, wells, chabootras and c. The accommodation in the shape of stabling and other out offices is not to be surpassed by any other estate in the Upper Provinces. The whole is surrounded by a wall, on the outside face of which are shops, which together with the house, rent at present for Rs 300 per mensem. With judicious management, much more might be realised.
Behind the house is a beautiful Baradaree, built of stone and white marble; attached is a marble bath. The construction of these two buildings alone cost Rs 30,000. The cook room, fitted with all possible conveniences, cost Rs 20,000 and everything about the estate was designed and executed regardless of expense...”
What’s interesting is that the sale of Skinner’s haveli coincided with the sale of confiscated rebel properties in Delhi. These were men deemed disloyal by the government for their role in 1857 and their properties seized and auctioned. I have written about this and associated controversies in earlier posts. James Skinner was of course long dead but the sale of his property captured the zeitgeist of the 1860s which felt as if the material fabric of the city was undergoing a significant transformation. Land and houses were being surveyed, valued and sold (or demolished) everywhere in Shahjahanabad. Property mania had begun.
See you next Friday.
No comments:
Post a Comment