844 Charles Tennant

Constituency  : Glasgow  1879-80,  Peebles  and  Selkirk   1880-86

Charles  restored  the  Liberal  hold  on  all  three  seats  after  the  death  of  the  victorious  Tory  in  1874.

Charles  was  the  grandson  of  the  famous  chemist  and  industrialist  of  the  same  name.  Charles  re-invigorated  the  failing  company  and  became  extremely  wealthy. He  bought  a  large  estate  and  lived  as  a  country  gentleman. He  also  built  many  workers'  houses  near  to  his  chemical  works. He  was  President  of  the  United  Alkali  Company  and  chairman  of  the  Union  Bank  of  Scotland. He  was  a  Trustee  of  the  National Gallery  and  well  known  as  an  art  collector.

In  1885  Charles  was  made  a  baronet. The  following  year  he  was  defeated  by  the  Liberal  Unionist  Walter  Thorburn  by  50  votes.

In  1904  Charles  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  Tariff  Commission.

He  died  in  1906  aged  82. His  son  Harold  was  also  a  Liberal  MP  and  his  clever  daughter  Margot  married  Herbert  Asquith.