John Drummond of Jamaica
| John Drummond | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1744 Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica |
| Died | 1804 (aged 60) Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica |
| Other names | John Drummond of Jamaica |
| Occupation | British plantation owner and surgeon |
Dr John Drummond MD FRSE (1744–1804) was a British landowner, physician and surgeon associated strongly with Jamaican history. He appears to have had little respect for the sanctity of marriage with at least five families in Britain and Jamaica. Most documents refer to him simply as John Drummond of Jamaica.
A specific Private Act in the Laws of Jamaica (anno 34, George III) allowed several of his mulatto children “the same rights and privileges of English subjects born with white parents”, a graphic demonstration of how colour discrimination was entrenched into the laws of the 18th century.
Whilst easily viewed as a rogue, Dr John Drummond of Jamaica is one of the handful of doctors listed in 1793 as having made major contributions towards the construction of Robert Adam’s Old College in Edinburgh (at that time known as “New College”).
He was born in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland Parish in Jamaica in November 1744 the second son of Dr John Drummond (1713–1754) and his wife Esther Lawrence (1713–1748). This would mean that he was orphaned at age ten.
His early life is unclear, but would appear that even before the death of his parents he was being educated in Scotland rather than Jamaica. Given the provisions of his will and other factors it is logical to presume he studied Medicine at Edinburgh University. He returned to Jamaica in 1764 (following qualification as a surgeon) and took over the running of his parents estates plus purchased further estates there (thought to be a sugar plantation) totalling over 1000 acres. His main mansion on Jamaica was called Drummond Lodge. He made multiple returns to Edinburgh and London. He was surgeon to the Westmoreland Regiment of Foot from 1784 to 1802. The regiment appear to have been a military presence on the island of Jamaica for a major part of Drummond’s life. Officially the regiment were in Jamaica from 1802 to 1813. This presence seems to give rise to the name Westmoreland Parish on the western part of the island. As Drummond’s official connection to the regiment bizarrely ends with their arrival this would imply a continued connection on an informal basis. There would be an assumption that their presence was at least in part contrived by Drummond, as being to his convenience.
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