ABSTRACT
Details of John Drummond’s early life though sparse are sufficient enough to show glimpses of a young man being set upon a proper and thorough course of instruction, one which would stand him in good stead and would also be of benefit to his family in the future. John’s father had served James Drummond, fourth Earl of Perth as chamberlain and manager of his estates. Before and during his life, a feudal landed elite, whose position was unassailable, ruled Scotland. This traditional hierarchy, in which his family had found a place, though at its lower extremity, exerted tight control wherever it could. The overthrow of the Stuart monarch, plus all the accompanying revolutions, had brought about a new political and constitutional set-up, one which favoured the Scottish elite’s aggressive advance into the world of commerce.
