In 1993, they bought the island of Brecqhou, one of the Channel Islands, located just west of Sark. Since the purchase the Barclays have been in several legal disputes with the government of Sark and have expressed a desire to make Brecqhou politically independent from Sark.
In 2003, they were listed in joint 34th place in the Sunday Times Rich List, which estimated their combined wealth as at least £650,000,000. It stated property, media, and hotels as the main sources of their riches. In 2004 they were listed in 42nd place with an estimate of £750m.
External links
BBC: Telegraph empire in tycoons' grip - 18 Jan 2004 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3407563.stm)
BBC: Profile of the Barclay Brothers (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3407799.stm)
The Scotsman: Barclay brothers land Telegraph group as £677m deal is finally done (http://business.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=874012004)
Barclays Take Over at Telegraph (includes links to related stories) (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1272764,00.html)
But the twinbrothers have been showing signs of creeping out of their isolation, by involving themselves in a string of high-profile deals, and even commissioning a joint biography.
Besides, the two were knighted by the Queen in 2000 for their services to charity, and their charitable foundation is thought to have donated around £40m to worthy causes over the past 13 years.
Which all means the Barclaybrothers have come a long way from their more humble origins in London.