James Drummond, 1st Baron Perth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Perth
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|
|---|---|
| Born |
James Lundin
14 February 1744 Lundin, Fife, Scotland
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| Died | 2 July 1800 (aged 56) Innerpeffray, Perth and Kinross, Scotland
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| Spouse(s) |
Clementina Elphinstone
(m. 1785) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | James Lundin Lady Rachel Bruce |
| Relatives | Thomas Drummond (brother) Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Kincardine (grandfather) |
James Drummond, 1st Baron Perth (born February 12, 1744 – died July 2, 1800) was an important Scottish soldier, landowner, and a member of the nobility. He was known for his efforts to restore his family's ancient titles and lands.
Contents
Early Life of James Drummond
James Drummond was born on February 12, 1744, in a place called Lundin, Fife, in Scotland. His birth name was James Lundin. His father was James Lundin (1707–1781), and his mother was Lady Rachel Bruce (died 1769). Lady Rachel was the daughter of Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Kincardine.
James had an older sister named Veronica Drummond. She married Duncan Campbell of Kames. He also had an older brother, Thomas Drummond, Lord Drummond.
The Lundin family had a long history. They were related to Thomas de Lundin, who was a son of King William the Lion.
Military Career and Family Titles
James Lundin, who later became known as Drummond, joined the British Army in 1771. On September 2, 1780, he was promoted to the rank of Captain. He served with the 2nd Battalion of the 42nd Highlanders in India.
Claiming the Earldom of Perth
The title of Earl of Perth had been taken away from his family in 1716. This happened because of a past family member's actions during a rebellion.
On February 6, 1760, after a relative named Edward Drummond passed away, James's father became the next in line to claim the earldom. Because of this, his father started using the name Drummond and called himself the 10th Earl of Perth. In 1776, he moved to the Drummond family estate called Stobhall in Perthshire.
When his father died on July 18, 1781, James became the next person to claim the earldom. His older brother, Thomas, had passed away the year before. James did not use the title of Earl right away.
In 1784, a special law was passed. This law allowed the Crown (the government) to give back lands that had been taken away from families in 1745. On March 8, 1785, a court decided that James was the rightful owner of the Drummond estates, which included Drummond Castle. He was then given these lands.
James tried to claim the title of Earl of Perth in 1792, but he later decided not to in 1796. Instead, on October 26, 1797, he was given a new title. He became a Peer of Great Britain and was known as Lord Perth, Baron Drummond of Stobhall.
Personal Life and Family
On March 31, 1785, James Drummond married Clementina Elphinstone (1749–1822) in Edinburgh. Clementina was the daughter of Charles Elphinstone, 10th Lord Elphinstone.
James and Clementina had three children together:
- James Drummond (1791–1799), who sadly died when he was a child.
- Clementina Sarah Drummond (1786–1865). She married Peter Robert Burrell on October 20, 1807. They later added Drummond to their last name. Her husband inherited the titles of Baron Gwydyr and Baron Willoughby de Eresby.
- Jemima Rachel Drummond (1787–1788), who died when she was a baby.
Lord Perth passed away at Innerpeffray on July 2, 1800. After his death, the title of Baron Perth ended.
Lord Perth's Legacy
After Lord Perth's death, the claim to the earldom of Perth was passed down through other branches of the family. The title was officially restored in 1853.
Some of the family's lands were sold before James Drummond's death. However, the main Drummond estates were passed down to his daughter Clementina and her children. Today, Drummond Castle is still a home for the family.
In Literature
James Drummond was the inspiration for a character in a story. He is the basis for Captain James Drummond in James Hogg's A Tale of an Old Highlander. This story was first published in a magazine in February 1832.
