The “King of Tintamarre”
From 1902 until 1931, Tintamarre was inhabited by Dutch dynasty descendant Diederik Christian Van Romondt,1 who set up his own micro-economy there!
Engaged in farming (cattle, goats), limestone industry and primarily in the agriculture of sea cotton2, Van Romondt wisely opened a shop on the islet where his workers could spend their (his) money.
After importing 30 000 Dutch cents in 1913, and circulating them among workmen as his own currency, Van Romondt set an exchange rate of half a penny per each Dutch cent. Since Dutch cents were not worth much anywhere outside of Tintamarre, people who left the islet had to exchange their savings beforehand for more current coins.
After his visit in 1913, a French journalist for the Paris newspaper “Le Journal,”3 wrote an article with the headline “Le Roi de Tintamarre”, telling of the bachelor who lived on an isolated Caribbean isle and spent his days listening to Mozart and Gounod.
The ruins of the original structure can be spotted near the bay side, leading more or less directly to the severely damaged remnants of the Old House.
1Diederik Christian Van Romondt, known as “D.C” died in 1948.
2Sea Island Cotton; a historical market class of cotton known for its exceptional softness and quality. First discovered in the British West Indies in the 18th century.
3Le Journal (The Journal) was a Paris daily newspaper published from 1892 to 1944 in a small, four-page format.