Johnston Drummond

Who was Johnston Drummond?

Johnston Drummond was an early settler of Western Australia who became a respected botanical and zoological collector.

The son of botanist James Drummond, Johnston Drummond was born in County Cork, Ireland in 1820. Among his brothers were James, who would become a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council, and John Nicol Drummond, first Inspector of the Native Police. An uncle, Thomas, accompanied Sir John Franklin in his explorations into the Northwest Territories of Canada in 1819-22.

In 1829 the Drummond family emigrated to the Swan River Colony in what is now Western Australia, arriving on board the Parmelia on 1 June. Johnston Drummond spent much of his early life helping his father and brothers run their farm at their grant on the Swan River. Later the family relocated to Toodyay, where Johnston was again involved in running the farm.

Johnston Drummond developed a taste for botanical and zoological collecting from his father. By the age of fifteen he was making collections of native seeds for sale at Cape Town, and he also sold a collection of seeds to George Fletcher Moore, who sent them on to James Mangles.