Major William Drummond Mercer (1796–1871) was a British Army officer, landowner, pastoralist and politician in colonial

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

. Mercer was the only surviving nephew of George Mercer. Major Mercer, having retired from the 16th Lancers, departed Calcutta and arrived in

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

in March 1838 along with his cousin, Lieutenant George Duncan Mercer. Mercer was a pastoralist with his two cousins, George Duncan Mercer and

John Henry Mercer John Henry Mercer (4 January 1823 – 8 December 1891) was a landowner, pastoralist and politician in colonial Victoria (Australia). Mercer born in Midlothian, Scotland, the son of George Dempster Mercer and Frances Charlotte Reid. Mercer ...

in properties near

Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River, ...

. Mercer was elected to the district of

Port Phillip Port Phillip (Kulin languages, Kulin: ''Narm-Narm'') or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped bay#Types, enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, ...

in the New South Wales Legislative Council in June 1850. He held that seat until it was abolished prior to the creation of

Victoria (Australia) Victoria is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state with a land area of , the second most populated state (after New South Wales) with a population of over 6.5 million, and the most densely populated state in ...

as a separate colony. Mercer returned to Scotland and settled in

Perthshire Perthshire (locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercer, William Drummond 1796 births 1871 deaths Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council 16th The Queen's Lancers officers 19th-century Australian politicians