Stephen James Napier Tennant was a British socialite known for his decadent, eccentric lifestyle. He was a central member of the socialite group referred to as "Bright Young Things" by the tabloid press of the time. Tennant was noted for his affected demeanor, appearance and behaviors.
The Wyndham Sisters, by John Singer Sargent, 1899 (Metropolitan Museum)
The Bright Young Things, or Bright Young People, was a term given by the tabloid press to a group of Bohemian young aristocrats and socialites in 1920s London. They threw flamboyant fancy dress parties, went on elaborate treasure hunts through nighttime London, and some drank heavily or used illicit drugs — all of which was enthusiastically covered by journalists such as Charles Graves and Tom Driberg.
Richard Plunket Greene, Olivia Plunket Greene, David Plunket Greene, Terence Greenidge, Elizabeth Frances Russell, and Evelyn Waugh.
Image: Harold Acton
Image: William Acton, Margot Bendir, Elizabeth Ponsonby, Harry Melville, Babe Plunket Greene at David Tennant's party 1928
Image: Kathleen Adam Smith Paget Thomson