John Drummond, 8th Earl of Perth
Encyclopedia
John David Drummond, 17th Earl of Perth PC (13 May 1907 - 25 November 2002) was a Scottish
peer
, banker and politician
. Because of the history of the Earldom of Perth
(attainder 1715, reversed 1853), he is sometimes considered the 8th Earl of Perth.
and son of the 16th Earl, he was educated at Downside School
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. He was styled Viscount Strathallan from 1937-51. In 1934 he married Nancy Fincke (died 1996). The couple had two sons, including his successor John Eric Drummond, 9th Earl of Perth
to help Noel Coward
in a propaganda office, then returned to London to work in the War Cabinet office and later at the Ministry of Production
.
After the war he joined Schroders in 1945 and was a partner until 1956. He was a Representative Peer
for Scotland from 1952-63, and in 1956 he was appointed Minister of State for Colonial Affairs in Harold Macmillan
's government. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor
in 1957. He served as First Crown Estate
Commissioner from 1962-77.
He was Chairman of the Ditchley Foundation
from 1963-66, and Chairman of the Reviewing Committee on Export of Works of Art from 1972-76.
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...
peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
, banker and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. Because of the history of the Earldom of Perth
Earl of Perth
The title Earl of Perth was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1605 for James Drummond, 4th Lord Drummond.The Drummond family claim descent from Maurice, son of George, a younger son of King Andrew I of Hungary...
(attainder 1715, reversed 1853), he is sometimes considered the 8th Earl of Perth.
Family
Drummond was the nephew of the fifteenth Earl of PerthEarl of Perth
The title Earl of Perth was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1605 for James Drummond, 4th Lord Drummond.The Drummond family claim descent from Maurice, son of George, a younger son of King Andrew I of Hungary...
and son of the 16th Earl, he was educated at Downside School
Downside School
Downside School is a co-educational Catholic independent school for children aged 11 to 18, located in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, between Norton Radstock and Shepton Mallet in Somerset, south west England. It is attached to Downside Abbey...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. He was styled Viscount Strathallan from 1937-51. In 1934 he married Nancy Fincke (died 1996). The couple had two sons, including his successor John Eric Drummond, 9th Earl of Perth
Career
After beginning a banking career, in the Second World War he went to ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to help Noel Coward
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
in a propaganda office, then returned to London to work in the War Cabinet office and later at the Ministry of Production
Ministry of Production
The Ministry of Production was a British government department created in February 1942, initially under the title Ministry of War Production, but the following month "War" was dropped from the title...
.
After the war he joined Schroders in 1945 and was a partner until 1956. He was a Representative Peer
Representative peer
In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords...
for Scotland from 1952-63, and in 1956 he was appointed Minister of State for Colonial Affairs in Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
's government. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1957. He served as First Crown Estate
Crown Estate
In the United Kingdom, the Crown Estate is a property portfolio owned by the Crown. Although still belonging to the monarch and inherent with the accession of the throne, it is no longer the private property of the reigning monarch and cannot be sold by him/her, nor do the revenues from it belong...
Commissioner from 1962-77.
He was Chairman of the Ditchley Foundation
Ditchley Foundation
The Ditchley Foundation is a British organisation based at Ditchley House near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, which aims to promote international relations, especially Anglo-American relations, through a programme of around fifteen annual conferences on matters of international interest...
from 1963-66, and Chairman of the Reviewing Committee on Export of Works of Art from 1972-76.