Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner
Purchased the Caribbean island of Mustique for £45,000 in 1958 and developed it into a private enclave for European royalty and rock stars.
1926–2010 (age 84)·British aristocrat·Birthday: December 1·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Colin Tennant transformed 500 acres of largely uninhabited land into a destination that housed Princess Margaret, Mick Jagger, and David Bowie. He inherited the Scottish barony of Glenconner and a £3 million trust fund in 1946. The development of Mustique began in 1960 with the construction of a cotton plantation, which failed, and a small airstrip. Tennant then plotted the island into 100 discreet lots, gifting a 10-acre parcel to Princess Margaret in 1960 and building her a Georgian-style villa. He established the Mustique Company in 1968 to manage the infrastructure and enforce strict architectural codes. His personal life included a marriage to Anne Coke, the daughter of the Earl of Leicester, and a later relationship with a male companion. The island's operational control passed to the Mustique Company in 1976. The lasting impact is a physical territory: a privately governed, architecturally controlled retreat that has maintained its exclusivity for over six decades, defining a specific era of jet-set privacy.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Colin was born in 1926, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Colin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1926
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Colin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1926Born
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1931Started school
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1939Became a teenager
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Could drive
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1944Could vote
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Turned 21
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1956Turned 30
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 40
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 50
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 60
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 70
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 80
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2010Died at 84
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
Key Achievements
- Founded the Mustique Company in 1968 to administer the island's utilities, security, and development.
- Served as a Page of Honour to King George VI from 1942 to 1947.
- Authored two volumes of memoirs, 'A Caribbean Story' (1992) and 'The Last of the Duchess' (2011).
Did You Know?
He once brought a piglet named Violet as a guest to the Ritz Hotel in London.
He was a close friend and confidant of Princess Margaret for over 40 years.
He attempted to introduce flamingos to Mustique; the experiment failed when they were eaten by locals.
“I bought Mustique for £45,000 and turned it into a paradise for my friends.”
