DRUMMOND, John (1723-74), of Stanmore, Mdx.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1768 - 25 July 1774

Family and Education

b. 27 April 1723, o.s. of Andrew Drummond, banker, of Charing Cross and Stanmore by Isabella, da. of Alexander Strachan, London-Scottish merchant; cos. of Henry Drummond. educ. Westminster 1735. m. 22 Dec. 1744, Charlotte, da. of Lord William Beauclerk by Lady Diana de Vere, da. and h. of Aubrey, 20th and last Earl of Oxford, 2s. 2da. suc. fa. 2 Feb. 1769.

Offices Held

Director, Sun Fire Office 1763- d.

Biography

Drummond’s marriage into the St. Albans family, of which his father was extremely proud, brought increased business to Drummonds’ bank and important political connexions. ‘A man of much parts and address’, he made in 1764 a bid to enter Parliament for Hereford, counting upon the support of his wife’s Beauclerk uncles, Lord Vere and Lord James, bishop of Hereford, and of the Earl of Oxford with whose brother Thomas Harley he was associated in business. Although Oxford had ‘voluntarily assured ... Mr. Drummond that he would assist him in everything in his power’, he unexpectedly withdrew his support; on this the St. Albans family abandoned the contest and in January 1764 Lord Vere informed Grenville of ‘Mr. Drummond’s intention not to stand at Hereford’.1

In March 1767 he and Sir Samuel Fludyer secured the contract for remitting money to the army in America.2 On Fludyer’s death in 1768, Thomas Harley became joint contractor with Drummond who shortly afterwards, on succeeding his father as head of the bank, resigned in favour of his cousin Henry.3

Returned in 1768 for Grafton’s borough of Thetford, he consistently supported the Grafton and North Administrations on Wilkes and the Middlesex election, was listed ‘pro, present’ on the royal marriage bill, March 1772, but did not vote on Grenville’s Act 25 Feb. 1774.  He died at Spa 25 July 1774.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: Edith Lady Haden-Guest

Notes

  • 1. Grenville mss (JM).
  • 2. T29/38/285; T54/40/204-6.
  • 3. T54/41/390-2.