Background
Henry Drummond was born at Grange, near Northington, Hampshire, the eldest son of Henry Drummond, a prominent London banker, his mother being a daughter of the first Viscount Melville.
Henry Drummond was born at Grange, near Northington, Hampshire, the eldest son of Henry Drummond, a prominent London banker, his mother being a daughter of the first Viscount Melville.
Henry Drummond was educated at Harrow and at Christ Church, Oxford, but took no degree.
Henry Drummond's name is permanently connected with the University through the chair of political economy which he founded in 1825. His speeches were often almost inaudible but were generally lucid and informing, and on occasion caustic and severe. he was appointed Sheriff of Surrey for 1826. In 1817, he met Robert Haldane at Geneva, and continued his movement against the Socinian tendencies then prevalent in that city.
The Albury Conferences, meetings moderated by Hugh Boyd M‘Neile, of those who sympathized with some of the views of Irving were held for the study of prophecy at Drummond"s seat, Albury Park, in Surrey.
In December 1839, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society He retired in 1843 from his position as senior partner in the Charing Cross bank. From 1847 until his death, he represented West Surrey in parliament.
He died in 1860. There is a street near Melbourne in Carlton North, Victoria named after him in Australia.
Henry Drummond entered Parliament in 1810 as the member for Plympton Erle and took an active interest from the first in nearly all departments of politics. Though thoroughly independent and often eccentric in his views, he acted generally with the Conservative Party.
Henry Drummond was a member of the Royal Society.
Drummond was married to his cousin Lady Henrietta Hay Drummond, the daughter of Robert Hay-Drummond, 10th Earl of Kinnoull. They had three sons, all of whom predeceased him, and two daughters.