John Drummond, 15th Baron Strange
Encyclopedia
John Drummond, 10th of Megginch, 15th Baron Strange (b. 1900, Scotland
– d.1982, Isle of Man
), Chief of the Baronial House and Branch of Drummond of Concraig and Lennoch within the clan Drummond and Baron of Megginch.
Educated at Eton College
, he became Lieutenant, Grenadier Guards
and Hon. Attaché H.M. Legation Warsaw in 1920. Later he was elected county councillor for West Perth in Scotland aged 21. Joined the Black Watch
in World War II but finding himself deskbound, he returned to farm his estate at Megginch. In addition to being an organic soil and fish farmer, he was an author (as John Drummond) of ten books of fact and fiction, inventor, record producer, restaurateur and politician.
and one of seven sisters. He was born, brought up and lived much of his life at Megginch Castle
in the Carse of Gowrie, Perthshire, Scotland. He had three sisters, Jean, Victoria Alexandrina and Frances Ada. His middle sister, Victoria Drummond
MBE, (who was a goddaughter of Queen Victoria) distinguished herself as the first woman marine engineer in Britain and won the Lloyds medal for bravery. His youngest sister, Frances, was a professional artist and illustrator, whose work was exhibited at the Paris Salon
and other exhibitions.
At the age of 24 on the death of his father, he inherited his ancestral home and estate, Megginch. On 8 February 1928, he married Violet Margaret Florence Jardine, daughter of Sir Robert William Buchanan-Jardine of Castlemilk, 2nd Bt. Managing Director of Jardine Matheson and Ethel Mary Piercy. They had three daughters:
, who was also 14th Baron Strange
in 1957, the Barony of Strange fell into abeyance between the representatives of the three daughters of the fourth Duke of Atholl
, Lady Charlotte, Lady Amelia Sophia and Lady Elizabeth. Following his petition to HM the Queen, the abeyance was terminated 18 December 1964 in favour of John Drummond of Megginch. He was the great-grandson of Lady Charlotte and her second husband, Vice-Admiral Sir Adam Drummond, K.C.B. of Megginch.
In the House of Lords
, he was known as a highly entertaining and controversial speaker–usually attracting a large audience. Sometimes, Hansard
would have trouble recording his speeches, which would include movements such as imitating a salmon swimming upstream! His reputation as an eccentric peer lead to media appearances including as a guest on Derek Nimmo
’s BBC Saturday night chat show, If it’s Saturday, it must be Nimmo in 1970.
In the 1920s, he created the Shilling Lightening Feeder chain of inexpensive restaurants in London. This was the forerunner of today’s fast-food restaurants. Afterwards, he admitted that his first restaurant was a huge success, his second a success, his third broke even but by his seventh, the venture was a disaster!
In the 1930s, he set up another innovative business, Great Scott Records to produce recordings on vinyl discs and enlisted various local singers and musicians. Again this enterprise never made the big time, perhaps because it peaked two decades before pop music took off.
In keeping with his larger than life character, he loved drama. In the 1950s, he made amateur movies and would put on plays at Megginch. Guests would include his many friends in show business, such as the stage and film producer, director and writer, Basil Dean
and celebrated actors such as Stewart Granger
, Laurence Harvey
, Hermione Baddeley
and Sir John Mills who made him godfather to his daughter, the actress, Hayley Mills
.
: "I also helped my noble father on his wartime book on agriculture, Charter for the Soil, in which he outlined the future importance of combine harvesting, supermarkets and direct farm marketing. He also advocated farming groups with their own farm slaughterhouse and resident scientist. He was also organic, and farmed with compost. Many of his ideas have been put into practice since 1944 when the book was published."
in the Irish Sea
. The Strange title was connected to the Island and the coat of arms included the Manx emblem of three legs. The Barony had passed through his ancestors, the Earls of Derby and later the Dukes of Atholl, who up until 1765 had ruled the Isle of Man, originally as Kings of Man and later Lords of Man. He saw himself as a representative of this independent Island, which had no voice at Westminster and as a courtesy to Manx politics, sat as a cross-bencher
in the House of Lords
.
In the Isle of Man, he bought property, farms and river banks with a view to running a fishing lodge based at Tholt-y-Will in Sulby Glen
, a remote but enchanting location. He created the first fish hatchery on the Island. However, local fishing regulations made his piscatorial plans impossible and Tholt-y-Will became a country inn. On many evenings, he could be found entertaining his visitors at the bar!
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
– d.1982, Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
), Chief of the Baronial House and Branch of Drummond of Concraig and Lennoch within the clan Drummond and Baron of Megginch.
Educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, he became Lieutenant, Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
and Hon. Attaché H.M. Legation Warsaw in 1920. Later he was elected county councillor for West Perth in Scotland aged 21. Joined the Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
in World War II but finding himself deskbound, he returned to farm his estate at Megginch. In addition to being an organic soil and fish farmer, he was an author (as John Drummond) of ten books of fact and fiction, inventor, record producer, restaurateur and politician.
Family life
John Drummond was the only son of Capt. Malcolm Drummond, JP, DL and Geraldine Margaret Tyssen-Amherst, daughter of Lord Amherst of HackneyWilliam Tyssen-Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst of Hackney
William Amhurst Tyssen-Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst of Hackney DL, JP was a British Conservative Member of Parliament and collector of books and works of art.-Background and education:...
and one of seven sisters. He was born, brought up and lived much of his life at Megginch Castle
Megginch Castle
Megginch Castle is a 15th century castle in Perth and Kinross, in central Scotland. It was the family home of the late Cherry Drummond, 16th Baroness Strange...
in the Carse of Gowrie, Perthshire, Scotland. He had three sisters, Jean, Victoria Alexandrina and Frances Ada. His middle sister, Victoria Drummond
Victoria Drummond
Victoria Alexandrina Drummond MBE , was the first woman marine engineer in Britain and first woman member of Institute of Marine Engineers. She was born at Errol, the daughter of Capt. Malcolm Drummond, JP and Geraldine Margaret Tyssen-Amherst, and a goddaughter of Queen Victoria...
MBE, (who was a goddaughter of Queen Victoria) distinguished herself as the first woman marine engineer in Britain and won the Lloyds medal for bravery. His youngest sister, Frances, was a professional artist and illustrator, whose work was exhibited at the Paris Salon
Paris Salon
The Salon , or rarely Paris Salon , beginning in 1725 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France. Between 1748–1890 it was the greatest annual or biannual art event in the Western world...
and other exhibitions.
At the age of 24 on the death of his father, he inherited his ancestral home and estate, Megginch. On 8 February 1928, he married Violet Margaret Florence Jardine, daughter of Sir Robert William Buchanan-Jardine of Castlemilk, 2nd Bt. Managing Director of Jardine Matheson and Ethel Mary Piercy. They had three daughters:
- Jean Cherry, 16th Baroness Strange (b. 1928 d. 2005) m. Captain Humphrey Evans (later Drummond of Megginch), MC
- Heather Mary, (b. 1931) m. Lt.Cmdr. Andrew Christian Currey, RN
- Margaret April Irene, (b. 1939) m. Sir Quentin Agnew-Somerville, 2nd Bt, whose daughter is the actress Geraldine SomervilleGeraldine SomervilleGeraldine Margaret Agnew-Somerville is a British actress best known for her roles as Detective Sergeant Jane "Panhandle" Penhaligon in Cracker, and Lily Potter in the Harry Potter film series.-Early life:...
Barony of Strange
On the death of 9th Duke of AthollDuke of Atholl
Duke of Atholl, alternatively Duke of Athole, named after Atholl in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray...
, who was also 14th Baron Strange
Baron Strange
Baron Strange is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of England. Two creations, one in 1295 and another in 1325, had only one holder each, upon the death of whom they became extinct. Two of the creations are still extant, however...
in 1957, the Barony of Strange fell into abeyance between the representatives of the three daughters of the fourth Duke of Atholl
Duke of Atholl
Duke of Atholl, alternatively Duke of Athole, named after Atholl in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray...
, Lady Charlotte, Lady Amelia Sophia and Lady Elizabeth. Following his petition to HM the Queen, the abeyance was terminated 18 December 1964 in favour of John Drummond of Megginch. He was the great-grandson of Lady Charlotte and her second husband, Vice-Admiral Sir Adam Drummond, K.C.B. of Megginch.
In the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, he was known as a highly entertaining and controversial speaker–usually attracting a large audience. Sometimes, Hansard
Hansard
Hansard is the name of the printed transcripts of parliamentary debates in the Westminster system of government. It is named after Thomas Curson Hansard, an early printer and publisher of these transcripts.-Origins:...
would have trouble recording his speeches, which would include movements such as imitating a salmon swimming upstream! His reputation as an eccentric peer lead to media appearances including as a guest on Derek Nimmo
Derek Nimmo
Derek Robert Nimmo was an English character actor. He was particularly associated with upper-class "silly-ass" roles, and clerical roles.-Career:...
’s BBC Saturday night chat show, If it’s Saturday, it must be Nimmo in 1970.
Enterprises ahead of his time
John Drummond, known to family and friends as JD, was a colourful, highly entertaining and eccentric character. In addition to writing novels, he used his great creative imagination, inventiveness and artistic gifts as an entrepreneur. Though his ventures were way ahead of his time, he lacked the managerial skills to capitalise on his vision.In the 1920s, he created the Shilling Lightening Feeder chain of inexpensive restaurants in London. This was the forerunner of today’s fast-food restaurants. Afterwards, he admitted that his first restaurant was a huge success, his second a success, his third broke even but by his seventh, the venture was a disaster!
In the 1930s, he set up another innovative business, Great Scott Records to produce recordings on vinyl discs and enlisted various local singers and musicians. Again this enterprise never made the big time, perhaps because it peaked two decades before pop music took off.
In keeping with his larger than life character, he loved drama. In the 1950s, he made amateur movies and would put on plays at Megginch. Guests would include his many friends in show business, such as the stage and film producer, director and writer, Basil Dean
Basil Dean
Basil Herbert Dean CBE was an English actor, writer, film producer/director and theatrical producer/director....
and celebrated actors such as Stewart Granger
Stewart Granger
Stewart Granger was an English-American film actor, mainly associated with heroic and romantic leading roles. He was a popular leading man from the 1940s to the early 1960s rising to fame through his appearances in the Gainsborough melodramas.-Early life:He was born James Lablache Stewart in Old...
, Laurence Harvey
Laurence Harvey
Laurence Harvey was a Lithuanian-born actor who achieved fame in British and American films.- Early life :Harvey maintained throughout his life that his birth name was Laruschka Mischa Skikne. However, his legal name was Zvi Mosheh Skikne. He was the youngest of three boys born to Ber "Boris" and...
, Hermione Baddeley
Hermione Baddeley
Hermione Baddeley was an English character actress of theatre, film and television. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Room at the Top and a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here...
and Sir John Mills who made him godfather to his daughter, the actress, Hayley Mills
Hayley Mills
Hayley Mills is an English actress. The daughter of John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell, and sister of actress Juliet Mills, Mills began her acting career as a child and was hailed as a promising newcomer, winning the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for Tiger Bay , the Academy Juvenile Award...
.
Organic farmer
John Drummond, was no less innovative when it came to his theories on agriculture and his farming practices on his Scottish estate. After his death, his daughter, Cherry as Baroness Strange, spoke in the House of LordsHouse of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
: "I also helped my noble father on his wartime book on agriculture, Charter for the Soil, in which he outlined the future importance of combine harvesting, supermarkets and direct farm marketing. He also advocated farming groups with their own farm slaughterhouse and resident scientist. He was also organic, and farmed with compost. Many of his ideas have been put into practice since 1944 when the book was published."
Move to the Isle of Man
In 1965, he handed over the estate of Megginch to his oldest daughter, Cherry and went to live in the Isle of ManIsle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
in the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
. The Strange title was connected to the Island and the coat of arms included the Manx emblem of three legs. The Barony had passed through his ancestors, the Earls of Derby and later the Dukes of Atholl, who up until 1765 had ruled the Isle of Man, originally as Kings of Man and later Lords of Man. He saw himself as a representative of this independent Island, which had no voice at Westminster and as a courtesy to Manx politics, sat as a cross-bencher
Cross-bencher
A crossbencher is an independent or minor party member of some legislatures, such as the British House of Lords and Australian Senate. They take their name from the crossbenches, between and perpendicular to the government and opposition benches, where crossbenchers sit in the chamber; compare...
in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
In the Isle of Man, he bought property, farms and river banks with a view to running a fishing lodge based at Tholt-y-Will in Sulby Glen
Sulby Glen
Sulby Glen is a wooded glen in Sulby, Isle of Man through which the Sulby River flows from the Sulby Reservoir to Ramsey....
, a remote but enchanting location. He created the first fish hatchery on the Island. However, local fishing regulations made his piscatorial plans impossible and Tholt-y-Will became a country inn. On many evenings, he could be found entertaining his visitors at the bar!
Fact
- Charter for the Soil (1943)
- Inheritance of Dreams (1944)
- A Candle in England (1947)
Fiction
- The Bride wore Black (1942)
- Playing to the Gods (1945)
- Behind Dark Shutters (1949)
- Gold over the Hill (1950)
- The Naughty Mrs Thornton (1952)
- Proof Positive (1956)