Sir George Alexander Drummond, (11 October 1829 – 2 February 1910) was a
Scottish-Canadian
Scottish Canadians are people of Scottish people, Scottish descent or cultural heritage, heritage living in Canada. As the third-largest ethnic group in Canada and amongst the first Europeans to settle in the country, Scottish people have made a ...
businessman and senator.
Life and career
Born in 1829 at
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
, he was a younger son of the entrepreneurial
stonemason
Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. It is one of the oldest activities and professions in human history. Many of the long-lasting, ancient shelters, temples, mo ...
,
building contractor
A general contractor, main contractor or prime contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and the communication of information to all involved parties throughout the course of ...
and
city councillor
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural council ...
, George Drummond, by his wife Margaret Pringle (b.c.1790). Drummond studied
chemistry
Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...
at
Edinburgh University
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1582 ...
before coming to
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
in 1854 to work for his brother-in-law,
John Redpath
John Redpath (1796 – March 5, 1869) was a Scots-Quebecer businessman and philanthropist who helped pioneer the industrial movement that made Montreal, Quebec the largest and most prosperous city in Canada.
Early years
In 1796, John Redpa ...
, at
Redpath Sugar
Redpath Sugar Ltd. (french: Sucre Redpath Ltée) is a Canadian sugar refining company that was established in 1854 and the first refining cane sugar in Montreal, Quebec. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario (with an additional packaging plant in Bel ...
.
[A Gentleman of Substance: The Life and Legacy of John Redpath (1796-1869) by Richard Feltoe]
He married
John Redpath
John Redpath (1796 – March 5, 1869) was a Scots-Quebecer businessman and philanthropist who helped pioneer the industrial movement that made Montreal, Quebec the largest and most prosperous city in Canada.
Early years
In 1796, John Redpa ...
's daughter, becoming a co-director of the family business with
Peter Redpath
Peter Redpath (August 1, 1821 – February 1, 1894) was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist, closely associated with Redpath Sugar.
Biography
Redpath was born in Montreal, Lower Canada, the son of a Scottish immigrant, John Redpath, a ...
, John's son. After the death of his first wife in 1884, he re-married
Grace Parker, widow of the Rev. George Hamilton (brother of
John Hamilton). Lady Drummond served as the first president of the Montreal National Council of Women of Canada (http://www.mcw-cfm.org/history.htm), as well as President and co-founding member of the Women's Canadian Club. She is most famously known for her work with the Red Cross. (http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/collection/artifacts/M988.98.2)
In 1888, he was summoned to the
Senate of Canada
The Senate of Canada (french: region=CA, Sénat du Canada) is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the House of Commons, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada.
The Senate is modelled after the B ...
, representing the senatorial division of
Kennebec,
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
. He served until his death in 1910. From 1887 to 1896, he was a vice-president at
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal (BMO; french: Banque de Montréal, link=no) is a Canadian multinational investment bank and financial services company.
The bank was founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1817 as Montreal Bank; while its head office remains in ...
and then served as its president, first as the ''de facto'' president from 1897 and officially starting in 1905.
He helped found the St. Margaret's Home for Incurables in 1894, purchasing the house that had previously been built for Sir
William Collis Meredith
Sir William Collis Meredith, (23 May 1812 – 26 February 1894) was Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec, Superior Court for the Province of Quebec from 1866 to 1884. In 1844, he was offered but refused the positions of Solicitor General ...
. As a member of the Citizen's League, he sought to improve life in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
, and he served as president of the
Royal Edward Institute
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a c ...
, a dispensary for the prevention of
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
, founded in 1909 by
Jeffrey Hale Burland (1861–1914). His recreations were mirrored in other positions he held, including as the first president of the
Royal Canadian Golf Association
The Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA), branded as Golf Canada, is the governing body of golf in Canada.
Beginnings
Golf Canada was founded on June 6, 1895, as the ''Canadian Golf Association'' at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club. The Royal prefi ...
(1895) and president of the
Art Association of Montreal
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA; french: Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, MBAM) is an art museum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is the largest art museum in Canada by gallery space. The museum is located on the historic Golden Square ...
.
He was made a Knight Commander of the
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III.
...
in 1904 and a Commander of the
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, o ...
in 1908. He and his wife built a house on Sherbrooke Street in Montreal's
Golden Square Mile / ''Mille carré doré''
, native_name_lang =
, settlement_type = List of neighbourhoods in Montreal, Neighbourhood
, image_skyline = Ravenscrag.jpg
, image_alt =
, image_caption = ''Rave ...
. They also kept a summer home (Gads Hill) at
Cacouna, Quebec and an estate (Huntlywood), in the part of the Island of Montreal now known as
Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield ( ) is a market town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Buckinghamshire, England, west-northwest of central London and south-southeast of Aylesbury. Three other towns are within : Gerrards Cross, Amersham and High W ...
, where they raised pure-breds and kept a private golf course for their friends. He died in 1910 and is buried in
Mount Royal Cemetery
Opened in 1852, Mount Royal Cemetery is a terraced cemetery on the north slope of Mount Royal in the borough of Outremont in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Temple Emanu-El Cemetery, a Reform Judaism burial ground, is within the Mount Royal grounds. Th ...
.
Electoral record
File:Tomb of George Alexander Drummond.jpg
File:Detail of George Alexander Drummond's tomb.jpg
File:George Alexander Drummond plaque.jpg
References
*
*
External links
Photograph:George A. Drummond, 1874- McCord Museum
Photograph:George A. Drummond, 1891- McCord Museum
Photograph:Senator Sir George Drummond, 1900- McCord Museum
Photograph:George Drummond's House on Sherbrooke Street, Montreal, 1891- McCord Museum
Photograph:George Drummond's House on Sherbrooke Street, Montreal, circa 1890- McCord Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drummond, George Alexander
1829 births
1910 deaths
Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Anglophone Quebec people
Businesspeople from Edinburgh
Canadian Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Canadian senators from Quebec
Candidates in the 1872 Canadian federal election
Canadian Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order
Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) senators
Pre-Confederation Canadian businesspeople
Scottish emigrants to pre-Confederation Quebec
George Alexander Drummond
Sir George Alexander Drummond, (11 October 1829 – 2 February 1910) was a Scottish-Canadian businessman and senator.
Life and career
Born in 1829 at Edinburgh, he was a younger son of the entrepreneurial stonemason, building contracto ...
Bank of Montreal presidents
Immigrants to the Province of Canada
Burials at Mount Royal Cemetery
19th-century Scottish businesspeople