Linton N. Tibbetts, OBE: Life and Legacy

Linton N. Tibbetts

16 July 1923 – 6 October 2011

 

Linton-Tibbetts---Life-and-Legacy

Linton N. Tibbetts, O.B.E., affectionately known as “Mr. T,” was born on Cayman Brac on July 16, 1923, the son of Elsie (Hunter) and James Nathaniel Tibbetts. He grew up watching his father build sailing ships, and survived the hurricane of 1932. At the age of 17, he set off to sea and later joined the United States Merchant Marines. In 1946, he moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, where he met Pauline Enix. They married on March 28, 1948, and had four children Mary, David, Donna, and Daniel.

Linton was a serial entrepreneur through a 65+ year career. His ventures included lumber and building materials, export, hotels, an airline, banking, and real estate. In 1949, he purchased a lumberyard in St. Petersburg, Florida, called Cox Lumber. Mr. T grew Cox into the largest privately held lumber company in the Southeastern U.S. until its sale in 2006. In 2009, at the age 86, he and his family decided to start over by opening a new enterprise, Tibbetts Lumber Company.

Linton-Tibbetts---Life-and-Legacy-2Mr. T remained committed to the people of the Cayman Islands and returned frequently. He worked with his family on a number of projects, including Brac Reef Beach Resort (now called Cayman Brac Beach Resort), Little Cayman Beach Resort, Village Square, Tibbetts Square, Cayman Brac Power and Light, and Cox Lumber Ltd. For his service to the Islands and their economy, Mr. T was awarded the designation Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) in 2003 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

One of Mr. T’s greatest sources of pride was his Caymanian heritage – traced to the founding settlers in the 1700s. To tell the stories of the people of the Sister Islands, he and his wife Polly acquired hundreds of artifacts that became the inspiration and beginnings of the Cayman Brac Museum in 1980, the Little Cayman Museum in 1997, and the Marine Museum in 2009. These museums are an ongoing legacy of Mr. T’s passion for the Islands and their people reflected in every story.

Hours of Operation

Monday: 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Tuesday: 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Wednesday: 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Thursday: 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Friday: 2.00 pm – 5.00 pm
Saturday: 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Sunday: Closed

Where to Find Us

Blossom Village, Little Cayman – located between the Little Cayman Baptist Church and Village Square store.

Call Us

345-925-7625

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Our Guests Say

"A wonderful insight into this place we love so much. We enjoyed the break from our diving and better understood the way the island developed into the beauty it is!"

− David James

"I have been coming to Little cayman a long time and this was my first visit to the museum. There was so much I didn't know, and I feel even more connected to the island now I understand where it came from."

− Hugh Calendar jr.

"What a wonderful little museum! I needed a break from diving and am glad I took the time to understand the culture of Little Cayman better - thanks!"

− Sue Matzka

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