Sir Charles Tennant, 1st Baronet

Sir Charles Clow Tennant, 1st Baronet (4 November 1823 – 4 June 1906) was a Scottish businessman, industrialist and Liberal politician.

Biography

Tennant was the son of John Tennant (1796–1878) and Robina Arrol. His grandfather was the chemist and industrialist Charles Tennant, at whose article many other notable members of the family are listed. He was President of the United Alkali Company and Chairman of the Union Bank of Scotland. Tennant also sat as Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow from 1879 to 1880 and for Peebles and Selkirk from 1880 to 1886. He unsuccessfully contested Partick at a by-election in 1890. He was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 4th (Glasgow, 1st Northern) Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteer Corps (later 4th Volunteer Battalion, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)) in 1880. He was also a Trustee of the National Gallery and was appointed a Member of the Tariff Commission in 1904. In 1885 he was created a Baronet.

In 1852, Tennant purchased The Glen, an estate in southern Scotland, and commissioned architect David Bryce to design a new house, which was completed in 1855.

He was the driving force in establishing C. Tennant, Sons & Company as a merchant bank in the City of London.

Tennant was chairman of Nobel Explosives Company from 1900 to 1906. He died in June 1906 in Broadoaks, Byfleet, Surrey, aged 82, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son Edward, who was raised to the peerage as Baron Glenconner in 1911.

Family

Tennant's first marriage was to Emma Winsloe, daughter of Richard Winsloe, in 1849. After her death in 1895 he was remarried to Marguerite Agaranthe Miles, daughter of Charles William Miles and cousin of Sir Philip Miles in 1898. His second wife was a talented amateur musician and he bought the Lady Tennant Stradivarius for her as a gift.

His son from his first marriage, Harold Tennant, became a Liberal politician, while his daughter from his first marriage, Margot, was a socialite and author and the second wife of Prime Minister H. H. Asquith. His daughters by his second marriage included Katharine Tennant, Baroness Elliot of Harwood, Nancy, Lady Crathorne and Margaret, Lady Wakehurst. His granddaughter Kathleen became the Duchess of Rutland through her marriage to John Manners, 9th Duke of Rutland. His great-granddaughter Lady Ursula Manners served as a maid of honour to the queen at the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937.