Family and Education

b. 24 Mar. 1767, 2nd s. of Hon. William Drummond (d. 1772), 2nd surv. s. of William, 4th Visct. Strathallan [S], and Anne, da. of David Nairne, brig.-gen. in the French service. m. 18 Jan. 1809, Lady Amelia Sophia Murray, da. of John, 6th duke of Atholl [S], 6s. 2da. suc. cos. Gen. Andrew John Drummond of Machany as head of fam. 1817; became 6th Visct. Strathallan [S] by Act of Parliament 17 June 1824, when the attainder of his uncle James Francis Edward, 5th Visct., was reversed. d. 14 May 1851.

Offices Held

Rep. peer [S] 1825-d.

Writer, E.I. Co. (Canton) 1786; asst. in public department 1792; manager of house of agency 1792-5; supercargo 1795; member, select cttee. 1800-7, pres. 1802-7.2

Biography

Drummond, a nephew of the London banker Robert Drummond of Cadland, Hampshire, had prospered in the service of the East India Company in China, and had come in for Perthshire in 1812 under the aegis of his father-in-law the duke of Atholl.3 He was returned there again in 1820, despite signs of opposition from the Whig landowners, who, as at subsequent spring and Michaelmas head courts, urged him to support retrenchment and repeal of the additional malt duties, and those on coal, culm and slate carried coastwise.4 Lord Lowther* recalled Drummond in 1825 as ‘a safe thick and thin supporter of the government’.5 However, he was no more than a sporadic attender, made no reported speeches in the Commons after 1820, and occasionally took an independent line. He cast a wayward vote for the additional malt duty repeal bill, 21 Mar., but divided with ministers against it when they made it a resignation issue, 3 Apr. 1821. (He was named to the select committee to consider Scottish petitions against the duty, 12 Apr.) He voted against disqualifying civil officers of the ordnance from voting in parliamentary elections, 12 Apr., parliamentary reform, 9 May 1821, 2 June 1823, and abolishing capital punishment for forgery, 23 May 1821. He was one of a minority of 24 protectionists who favoured a 40s. fixed duty on foreign corn, 8 May, and voted against inquiring into the lord advocate’s treatment of the Scottish press, 25 June 1822. He divided with ministers against repealing the assessed taxes, 10, 18 Mar., and against investigating chancery arrears, 5 June 1823.

Anticipating the restoration of the family peerage by reversal of the attainder of 1746, a campaign to substitute the 10th earl of Murray’s son John Stuart for Drummond was under way in Perthshire by the summer of 1823, and he was replaced there in March 1824 by another ministerialist, Sir George Murray. His succession as 6th viscount was acknowledged in June, and he took his seat in the Lords as a Scottish representative peer, 6 June 1825. 6 A staunch anti-reformer and protectionist who sought patronage through Lord Melville and the duke of Wellington, Strathallan held his seat for life.7 He died at Strathallan Castle in May 1851, predeceased in June 1849 by his wife. This made his children and Nairne relations the principal beneficiaries of his will (of 20 Aug. 1841), which was proved in the court of session, 26 May, Perthshire consistory court, 14 July, and in London, 29 July 1851. A trust that it established authorized sales to reduce the burdens on his entailed estates, which passed, with his titles, to his eldest son William Henry Drummond (1810-86).8

Ref Volumes: 1820-1832

Authors: Margaret Escott / David R. Fisher

Notes

• 1. TNA E179/1, p. 302.
• 2. H.B. Morse, Chrons. E.I. Co. China, ii. 191, 195, 197, 285, 321, 357; iii. 26.
• 3. HP Commons, 1790-1820, ii. 564-70; iv. 55-56.
• 4. Perth Courier, 23 Mar. 1820. See PERTHSHIRE.
• 5. Lonsdale mss, Lowther to Lonsdale, 12 Sept. 1825.
• 6. LJ, lvi. 422; lvii. 980. See PERTHSHIRE.
• 7. Wellington mss WP1/1043/26; 1054/5; 1183/3, 14, 28; 1201/22; 1239/5, 19.
• 8. The Times, 20 May 1851; PROB 11/ 2136/600; 2137/601.