Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Drummond, Edward
DRUMMOND, EDWARD (1792–1843), civil servant, second son of Charles Drummond, banker, of Charing Cross, by Frances Dorothy, second daughter of the Rev. Edward Lockwood, was born 30 March 1792, and became at an early age a clerk in the treasury, where he was successively private secretary to the Earl of Ripon, Canning, Wellington, and Peel. So highly did the duke think of him that he expressed his satisfaction in the House of Lords at having secured his services. Having been seen travelling alone in Scotland in Peel's carriage and coming out of Peel's London house by a madman named Daniel Macnaghten, a wood-turner of Glasgow, who had some grudge against Peel, Drummond was shot by him in mistake for Peel between the Admiralty and the Horse Guards, Whitehall, as he was walking towards Downing Street, 20 Jan. 1843. He was shot in the back, and though he managed to walk to his brother's house and the ball was extracted that evening, he died after suffering but little pain at 9 A.M., 25 Jan., at Charlton, near Woolwich, where he was buried 31 Jan. Some controversy arose as to the treatment of his wound, which was said to have been unskilful (see pamphlet by J. Dickson, 1843). Macnaghten was acquitted on the ground of insanity.
[Gent. Mag. 1789 and 1843; Raikes's Journal, iv. 249; Life of Prince Consort, i. 162; Times, 21 and 27 Jan. 1843.]