Background
Drummond was the eldest son of John Drummond.
Drummond was the eldest son of John Drummond.
He was educated at Leiden University, and after briefly studying law joined the army in 1739, being commissioned as lieutenant in the 47th Regiment of Foot in 1741 and promoted to captain in 1745.
In this capacity he served against the Jacobite Rebellion at the Battle of Prestonpans, where he was captured. He later served in North America, but was put on half-pay in 1753 and retired from the army in 1756 and set up as a merchant. On 4 February 1755, Drummond married Catherine Ashe, widow of William Ashe, Member of Parliament and daughter of the 4th Duke of Bolton.
The Bolton family controlled a number of pocket boroughs, and at the next general election (in 1761) Drummond entered Parliament as member for Lymington.
Later the same year, Drummond, Fludyer and Anthony Bacon secured a 30-year lease of all the coal on Cape Breton Island and in 1767 he acquired a large land grant in Street John"s Island (now Prince Edward Island). Further profitable contracts followed and, unlike his partner Fludyer, Drummond was able to retain or renew them as governments changed by remaining loyal to whichever administration was in power and helped by the influence of his noble brother-in-law.
He died in 1786.
12th Parliament of Great Britain. 13th Parliament of Great Britain. 14th Parliament of Great Britain.
15th Parliament of Great Britain.
16th Parliament of Great Britain.