Eric Drummond, 7th Earl of Perth
Encyclopedia
James Eric Drummond, 16th Earl of Perth, GCMG, CB
(17 August 1876 – 15 December 1951) was a Scottish
representative peer, a British
diplomat
and the first Secretary General of the League of Nations
. Because of the history of the Earldom of Perth
(attainder 1715, reversed 1853), he is sometimes considered the 7th Earl of Perth.
Half brother of the William Drummond, 15th Earl of Perth, Drummond was born in North Yorkshire
, England
. He was educated at Eton
and began his Foreign Office career in 1900. In 1906, he became private secretary to Lord Edmund Petty-FitzMaurice
, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. In 1908 and again from 1910 to 1911, he was précis writer for Sir Edward Grey
, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
He served as the League of Nations Secretary General from the organization's foundation in 1919 until 1933 when he became Britain's ambassador
to Italy
. As Secretary General, he helped to establish high standards for loyalty to the international civil service that have influenced his successors in both the League and the post-World War II United Nations.
He succeeded to the Earl
dom in 1937 upon his half brother's death and entered the House of Lords
. In 1939, Drummond returned to Britain and served during the Second World War as chief advisor on foreign publicity in the Ministry of Information. From 1946 until his death, he served as deputy leader of the Liberal Party in the House of Lords.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(17 August 1876 – 15 December 1951) was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
representative peer, a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
diplomat
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
and the first Secretary General of the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
. Because of the history of the Earldom of Perth
Earl of Perth
The title Earl of Perth was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1605 for James Drummond, 4th Lord Drummond.The Drummond family claim descent from Maurice, son of George, a younger son of King Andrew I of Hungary...
(attainder 1715, reversed 1853), he is sometimes considered the 7th Earl of Perth.
Half brother of the William Drummond, 15th Earl of Perth, Drummond was born in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and began his Foreign Office career in 1900. In 1906, he became private secretary to Lord Edmund Petty-FitzMaurice
Edmond Fitzmaurice, 1st Baron Fitzmaurice
Edmond George Petty-Fitzmaurice, 1st Baron Fitzmaurice PC , styled Lord Edmond FitzMaurice from 1863 to 1906, was a British Liberal politician. He served as Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from 1883 to 1885 and again from 1905 to 1908, when he entered the cabinet as Chancellor of the...
, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. In 1908 and again from 1910 to 1911, he was précis writer for Sir Edward Grey
Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon
Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon KG, PC, FZL, DL , better known as Sir Edward Grey, Bt, was a British Liberal statesman. He served as Foreign Secretary from 1905 to 1916, the longest continuous tenure of any person in that office...
, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
He served as the League of Nations Secretary General from the organization's foundation in 1919 until 1933 when he became Britain's ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. As Secretary General, he helped to establish high standards for loyalty to the international civil service that have influenced his successors in both the League and the post-World War II United Nations.
He succeeded to the Earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
dom in 1937 upon his half brother's death and entered the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. In 1939, Drummond returned to Britain and served during the Second World War as chief advisor on foreign publicity in the Ministry of Information. From 1946 until his death, he served as deputy leader of the Liberal Party in the House of Lords.