Edward Drummond
Encyclopedia
Edward Drummond was a British
civil servant, and was Personal Secretary to several British Prime Ministers
. He was murdered by Daniel M'Naghten
, whose subsequent trial gave rise to the M'Naghten Rules
, the legal test of insanity
used in many common law
jurisdictions.
Drummond was a scion of the family who owned and ran Drummonds Bank
. He was the second son of Charles Drummond, a banker, and his wife, Frances Dorothy (herself the second daughter of the Reverend Edward Lockwood). He joined the civil service in June 1814, becoming a clerk at the Treasury
. He was Private Secretary to a succession of British Prime Minister
s: George Canning
, Lord Goderich
, the 1st Duke of Wellington
, and Robert Peel
.
On 20 January 1843, while serving as Personal Secretary to Peel, he was shot by Daniel M'Naghten
(or McNaughton), who had developed delusions about the Tory
government. Drummond emerged from Peel's house in Whitehall
Gardens at about 4pm, and set off to walk to his apartment in Downing Street
. M'Naghten mistook him for Peel and shot him in the back. The ball passed through his chest and diaphragm, lodging in his abdomen. The ball was removed later that day, but despite medical treatment, Drummond died five days later, at Charlton
, near Woolwich
, and was buried in the vaults of St Luke's Church, Charlton on 31 January.
M'Naghten was later tried for murder but found not guilty by reason of insanity. The M'Naghten Rules
developed by the House of Lords
after his trial were to establish the basis for the insanity defence in all common law countries.
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...
civil servant, and was Personal Secretary to several British Prime Ministers
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
. He was murdered by Daniel M'Naghten
Daniel M'Naghten
Daniel M'Naghten was a Scottish woodturner who assassinated English civil servant Edward Drummond while suffering from paranoid delusions...
, whose subsequent trial gave rise to the M'Naghten Rules
M'Naghten Rules
The M'Naghten rules were a reaction to the acquittal of Daniel McNaughton. They arise from the attempted assassination of the British Prime Minister, Robert Peel, in 1843 by Daniel M'Naghten. In fact, M'Naghten fired a pistol at the back of Peel's secretary, Edward Drummond, who died five days later...
, the legal test of insanity
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
used in many common law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
jurisdictions.
Drummond was a scion of the family who owned and ran Drummonds Bank
Drummonds Bank
Messrs. Drummond is an English private banking house founded in 1717 by goldsmith Andrew Drummond . Drummonds Bank was owned by the Drummond family until 1924, when it was taken over by the Royal Bank of Scotland in its first acquisition south of the border.The bank offers a variety of services to...
. He was the second son of Charles Drummond, a banker, and his wife, Frances Dorothy (herself the second daughter of the Reverend Edward Lockwood). He joined the civil service in June 1814, becoming a clerk at the Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
. He was Private Secretary to a succession of British Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
s: George Canning
George Canning
George Canning PC, FRS was a British statesman and politician who served as Foreign Secretary and briefly Prime Minister.-Early life: 1770–1793:...
, Lord Goderich
Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich
Frederick John Robinson, 1st Earl of Ripon PC , styled The Honourable F. J. Robinson until 1827 and known as The Viscount Goderich between 1827 and 1833, the name by which he is best known to history, was a British statesman...
, the 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
, and Robert Peel
Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
.
On 20 January 1843, while serving as Personal Secretary to Peel, he was shot by Daniel M'Naghten
Daniel M'Naghten
Daniel M'Naghten was a Scottish woodturner who assassinated English civil servant Edward Drummond while suffering from paranoid delusions...
(or McNaughton), who had developed delusions about the Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
government. Drummond emerged from Peel's house in Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
Gardens at about 4pm, and set off to walk to his apartment in Downing Street
Downing Street
Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the First Lord of the Treasury, an office now synonymous with that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an...
. M'Naghten mistook him for Peel and shot him in the back. The ball passed through his chest and diaphragm, lodging in his abdomen. The ball was removed later that day, but despite medical treatment, Drummond died five days later, at Charlton
Charlton, London
Charlton is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Greenwich. It is located east-southeast of Charing Cross. Charlton next Woolwich was an ancient parish in the county of Kent, which became part of the metropolitan area of London in 1855. It is home to Charlton...
, near Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
, and was buried in the vaults of St Luke's Church, Charlton on 31 January.
M'Naghten was later tried for murder but found not guilty by reason of insanity. The M'Naghten Rules
M'Naghten Rules
The M'Naghten rules were a reaction to the acquittal of Daniel McNaughton. They arise from the attempted assassination of the British Prime Minister, Robert Peel, in 1843 by Daniel M'Naghten. In fact, M'Naghten fired a pistol at the back of Peel's secretary, Edward Drummond, who died five days later...
developed by 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....
after his trial were to establish the basis for the insanity defence in all common law countries.