And then there was James Fraser

Skinner's durbar:

William Fraser was the regiment's second-in-command. His brother, James, arrived from Britain in search of his fortune and the two toured the Himalayas. James Baillie Fraser sketched all along the way, fascinated by the clothes, the appearances and the diversity of all that he saw.

It was James that looked after Skinner's children during the holidays in Britain. But his new wife, who had seen nothing in her life but Scotland, could not stand the half-bloods running through her house.

Skinner sent a letter from Delhi thanking his friend for looking after his 'poor black children' and requested him to keep his distance.

St James's Church built by James Skinner in Delhi

William Fraser 'Agent to the Governor General of India and Commissioner of the Dehly Territory' was assassinated within a few yards of his own Residence on Sunday evening the 22nd March 1835 about ½ past 7 o’Clock when returning from a Visit of Ceremony to Maharaja Kalyan Singh, Chief of Kishengarh, then residing in our city. It was an assassin employed by Nawab Shams-ud-din of Ferozpur (said to be Mirza Ghalib's cousin who had been trying desperately for years to get the British government to release the family pension). William was given an hasty burial near the Residency and later exhumed and reburied in the churchyard of St. James's church.