Sir Charles Tennant, 1st Baronet

Tennant was the son of John Tennant (1796–1878) and Robina (née Arrol) Tennant.[2] His grandfather was the chemist and industrialist Charles Tennant.[3]

In 1843, he entered the St Rollox chemical works, Glasgow which had been established by his grandfather Charles to produce bleaching powder and other chemicals, and went on to become the largest alkali works in Europe. Sir Charles Tennant was a global industrialist, with business across many continents in railways, steel, explosives, copper, sulphur and merchant banking.[4] Tennant served as President of the United Alkali Company which would become a cornerstone of Imperial Chemical Industries becoming extremely wealthy in the process while being a supporter of political reform, and a major collector of art.[5] Tennant also became Chairman of the Union Bank of Scotland and was the driving force in establishing C. Tennant, Sons & Company as a merchant bank in the City of London.[6][7]

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.[8]

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 and held the office of Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant. Tennant was chairman of Nobel Explosives Company from 1900 to 1906.[9]

Tennant's house, The Glen in the Scottish Borders.

Tennant was twice married. His first marriage was to Emma Winsloe (1821–1895), daughter of Richard Winsloe of Mount Nebo, Taunton, in 1849. In 1852, he purchased The Glen, an estate in southern Scotland, and commissioned architect David Bryce to design a new house, which was completed in 1855.[10][11] Together, they were the parents of eight children, including:[12]

• Pauline Emma "Posie" Tennant (1855–1888), who married Thomas Duff Gordon-Duff, 9th of Drummuir and 11th of Park, son of Lachlan Gordon-Duff.[12]
• Charlotte Monckton "Charty" Tennant (1858–1911), who married Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale.[13]
• Edward Priaulx Tennant (1859–1920), who married Pamela Wyndham, a daughter of Percy Wyndham MP.[14]
• Katharine Lucy Tennant (1860–1942), who married Thomas Graham Smith in 1879.[12]
• Francis John "Frank" Tennant (1861–1942), who married Annie Geraldine Redmayne, daughter of John Marriner Redmayne of South Dene.[15]
• Octavia Laura Mary Tennant (1862–1886), who married Alfred Lyttelton.[12]
• Margot Tennant (1864–1945), who was a socialite and author and the second wife of Prime Minister H. H. Asquith.[16]
• Harold John "Jack" Tennant (1865–1935), who became a Liberal politician and married factory inspector May Abraham in 1896.[17]

After her death in 1895 he was remarried to Marguerite Agaranthe Miles (1868–1943), 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. Together, they were the parents of four children, including:[12]

• Margaret Tennant (1899–1994), who married John Loder, 2nd Baron Wakehurst.[18]
• Jean Tennant (1900–1910), who died in childhood.[12]
• Katharine Tennant (1903–1994), who married Walter Elliot and was created Baroness Elliot of Harwood in her own right.[19]
• Nancy Tennant (1904–1969), who married Sylvester Govett Gates, Controller, Ministry of Information.[20] She later married Thomas Dugdale, 1st Baron Crathorne, in 1936.[21]

Sir Charles died in June 1906 in Broadoaks, Byfleet, Surrey, aged 82.[1] He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son Edward,[22] who was later raised to the peerage as Baron Glenconner in 1911.[14] His widow, Lady Tennant, died in 1943.[12]

Coat of arms of Sir Charles Tennant, 1st Baronet

Escutcheon Argent two crescents in fess and a lymphad in the base Sable on a chief Gules a boar's head couped of the first within a bordure company of the second and first.[24]

Arms of Tennant: Argent, two crescents in fess sable on a chief gules a boar's head couped of the first[25]

Tennant granted arms from Lord Lyon in 1885. His arms are impaled with the arms of his son-in-law, Walter Elliot, in the arms of his daughter, Katharine Elliot, Baroness Elliot of Harwood.[24]

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir Charles Tennant
• Sir Charles Clow Tennant, 1st Bt at the National Portrait Gallery, London