Robert Young was born on 21 July 1860; he was the son of Jane Young (nee Hackworth) and George Edward Young. He married Edith Mary Lees, who was born in Chester in 1875 on 5 August 1905 and they had six daughters.

He became an engineer and spent a significant amount of time working in Asia and founded the Engineering firm R. Young and Co., Ltd in Penang, Malaysia. He was a member of the Straits Settlements Legislative which included Penang as well as acting as the editor and a chairman of the board of directors of the Pening Gazette. He was a Government and Municipal contractor and lessee of the Penang Steam Tramways. He was a Freemason and installed as Master of Royal Prince of Wales Lodge in Penang, later becoming D.G. Warden and later Deputy District Grand Master.

After the death of both his brother, George Edward Young, and his sister in law, Henrietta Young (nee Chapman), in 1916 Robert Young and family moved back to Britain. After his retirement he moved to Haywards Heath and then moved to St Leonards on Sea.

On his return to England Robert Young wrote Timothy Hackworth and the Locomotive. He spent years researching for his publication and contacted members of the family, people who used to work with his father and prominent railway individuals in order to gain evidence for his book. Robert Young died on 6 May 1932 at St Leonards on Sea and his wife died on 4 June 1854.