Date Published:
July 2007

L’Encyclopédie de l’histoire du Québec / The Quebec History Encyclopedia

Sir George Alexander Drummond

Drummond, Sir George Alexander (1829-1910), president of the Bank of Montreal (1905-10), was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on October 11, 1829, the son of George Drummond and Margaret Pringle. He was educated at Edinburgh High School and University; and emigrated to Canada in 1854. He became manager of John Redpath and Son, sugar refiners, Montreal; and in 1879 he founded the Canada Sugar Refining Company. In 1882 he was elected a director of the Bank of Montreal; in 1887, a vice-president; and in 1905, its president. In 1885 he was called to the Senate of Canada, and he sat in the Senate until his death at Montreal on February 2, 1910. He was twice married, (1) in 1857 to Helen, daughter of John Redpath, of Montreal, by whom he had five sons and two daughters; and (2) in 1884 to Grace Julia, daughter of A. D. Parker, of Montreal, by whom he had two sons. Ire was created a K.C.M.G. in 1904 and a C.V.O. in 1908. He was the possessor of a notable collection of paintings, and was chairman of the National Gallery of Canada and president of the Art Association of Montreal.

Source: W. Stewart WALLACE, The Encyclopedia of Canada, Vol. II, Toronto, University Associates of Canada, 1948, 411pp., p. 237.