Eric Drummond, 16th Earl of Perth
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The Right Honourable The Earl of Perth GCMG, CB, PC |
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Drummond circa 1918
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| Secretary General of the League of Nations | |
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In office 1920–1933 |
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| Deputy |
Jean Monnet Joseph Avenol |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Avenol |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
17 August 1876 Fulford, England |
| Died | 15 December 1951 (aged 75) Sussex, England |
| Nationality | British (Scottish) |
| Spouse(s) | Angela Mary Constable-Maxwell |
| Religion |
Anglican (1876–1903) Catholic (1903–1951) |
James Eric Drummond, 7th Earl of PerthGCMG, CB, PC (17 August 1876 – 15 December 1951) was a British politician and diplomat as well as the first Secretary-General of the League of Nations (LN) (1920–1933). After his time with the League of Nations he became British ambassador to Rome (1933–1939) and later, chief adviser on foreign publicity in the Ministry of Information (1939–1940). In 1946 he became deputy leader of the Liberal Party in the House of Lords. Drummond died of cancer on 15 December 1951 at his home in Sussex.
Drummond was born into a Scottish family of aristocratic origin, the Clan Drummond. His father was James David Drummond, 10th Viscount Strathallan (1839–1893). Strathallan, an army officer of Machany in Perthshire, had three children with his second wife Margaret Smythe, the daughter of William Smythe of Methven Castle in Perthshire. Of these three children James Eric Drummond was the eldest and the only son. Furthermore, Drummond had two half-sisters and one half-brother, William Huntley Drummond, from his father’s first marriage to Ellen Thornhill. Drummond's brother William succeeded their father as Viscount Strathallan in 1893, and in 1902 succeeded their distant cousin to become 6th Earl of Perth
On 20 August 1937, Drummond's half brother died and he thereby became 7th Earl of Perth. Furthermore, he inherited the following titles: Lord Drummond of Cargill and Stobhall, Lord Maderty, Twelfth Viscount Strathallan, Lord Drummond of Cromlix, Hereditary thegn of Lennox, Hereditary steward of Menteith and Strathearn and Chief of Clan Drummond.
Even though he was raised in a Protestant family, Drummond converted to Roman Catholicism in 1903. This conversion allegedly became a hindrance during his career; for instance when prime minister Ramsay MacDonald vetoed Drummond's candidacy to be ambassador at Washington around 1933. The reason behind his conversion is most likely that he wished to marry the Roman Catholic Angela Mary Constable-Maxwell (1877–1965), daughter of Marmaduke Francis Constable-Maxwell, 11th Lord Herries of Terregles and Hon. Angela Mary Charlotte Fitzalan-Howard (daughter of the 1st Baron Howard of Glossop). He married her on 20 April 1904 and together they had four children:
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