Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Drummond, Alexander
DRUMMOND, ALEXANDER (d. 1769), consul, author of ‘Travels through the different Countries of Germany, Italy, Greece, and parts of Asia, as far as the Euphrates, with an Account of what is remarkable in their present State and their Monuments of Antiquity’ (London, 1754, fol.), was son of George Drummond of Newton, and younger brother of George Drummond, lord provost of Edinburgh [q. v.] Of his early years there is no account. He started on his travels, viâ Harwich and Helvoetsluys, in May 1744, reached Venice in August and Smyrna in December that year, and Cyprus in March 1745. His observations by the way, and in excursions, made in the intervals of what appear to have been commercial pursuits, during residence in Cyprus and Asia Minor in 1745–50, are given in his book in the form of letters, mostly addressed to his brother, and accompanied by some curious plates. In one of these excursions he reached Beer, on the Euphrates. Drummond was British consul at Aleppo in 1754–6. He died at Edinburgh on 9 Aug. 1769. A portrait of him is catalogued in Evans's 'Engraved Portraits' (Brit. Mus. Cat., subd. v.), London 1836–53).
[Anderson's Scottish Nation (Edinb. 1859–63), ii. 66; Drummond's Travels, ut supra; Court and City Registers, 1753–7; Scots Mag. 1769, xxxi. 447.]