History of Mustique & SVG (mustique Island)
The history of the island of Mustique goes back to the 15th century when Spanish sailors first sighted a group of islands naming them 'Los Pajoros' or 'the birds' as they resembled a flock of tiny birds in flight. In the 17th century the islands were renamed The Grenadines by pirates who used the sheltered bays to hide their ships and treasure. The Grenadines were later utilised by European planters to grow sugar until the discovery in the 19th century that sugar beet would grow in Europe. Mustique's sugar plantations were soon abandoned and eventually swallowed up by wild jungle leaving only the sugar mill at 'Endeavor' and its 'Cotton House.'
Mustique was eventually purchased in 1958 by Lord Glenconner (Colin Tennant) under whose guidance the island began to thrive once again. HRH The Princess Margaret accepted his generous gift of a ten-acre plot of land as a wedding present in 1960 on which she built a magnificent residence, 'Les Jolies Eaux.' This lovely signature villa still exists today and has been recently featured in Architectral Digest. In 1989, Mustique island was transformed from a family estate into a community of people dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the island for generations to come.
The Government of St. Vincent & The Grenadines passed into law The Mustique Company Limited Act which appointed The Mustique Company as custodian of the island.
Today, Mustique retains its natural beauty and tranquility, protecting the environment and offering owners and guests alike one of the most peaceful, safe and pristine islands in the world.
History of St Vincent and the Grenadines
Carib Indians aggressively prevented European settlement on St. Vincent until the 18th century. Beginning in 1719, French settlers cultivated various crops worked by African slaves. In 1763, St. Vincent was ceded to Britain. Restored to French rule in 1779, St. Vincent was regained by the British under the Treaty of Versailles in 1783.
From 1763 until independence, St. Vincent passed through various stages of colonial status under the British with slavery being abolished in 1834. A representative assembly was authorized in 1776, Crown Colony government installed in 1877, a legislative council created in 1925, and universal adult suffrage granted in 1951.
Mustique was eventually purchased in 1958 by Lord Glenconner (Colin Tennant) under whose guidance the island began to thrive once again. HRH The Princess Margaret accepted his generous gift of a ten-acre plot of land as a wedding present in 1960 on which she built a magnificent residence, 'Les Jolies Eaux.' This lovely signature villa still exists today and has been recently featured in Architectral Digest. In 1989, Mustique island was transformed from a family estate into a community of people dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the island for generations to come.
The Government of St. Vincent & The Grenadines passed into law The Mustique Company Limited Act which appointed The Mustique Company as custodian of the island.
Today, Mustique retains its natural beauty and tranquility, protecting the environment and offering owners and guests alike one of the most peaceful, safe and pristine islands in the world.
History of St Vincent and the Grenadines
Carib Indians aggressively prevented European settlement on St. Vincent until the 18th century. Beginning in 1719, French settlers cultivated various crops worked by African slaves. In 1763, St. Vincent was ceded to Britain. Restored to French rule in 1779, St. Vincent was regained by the British under the Treaty of Versailles in 1783.
From 1763 until independence, St. Vincent passed through various stages of colonial status under the British with slavery being abolished in 1834. A representative assembly was authorized in 1776, Crown Colony government installed in 1877, a legislative council created in 1925, and universal adult suffrage granted in 1951.