Thomas Kingwell Skinner (1849-1925) was born in New Plymouth and trained under Octavius Carrington. He joined the Provincial Government in 1870 and was engaged principally on the survey of native lands being acquired for settlement. In 1881 he started business as a surveyor and engineer in partnership with Thomas Gore Sole, and the following year was engaged on the survey of the railway from New Plymouth to Hawera. Mr Skinner acted as consulting engineer to the Borough of New Plymouth until 1902 when a full time engineer was appointed. With his brothers John and William, who were also surveyors, he was a foundation member of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors.
