When the Act of Attainder was finally lifted from the Drummond family many claimants came forward, at this time James Drummond of Biddick the son of the 6th Earl & 3rd Duke appears to have been blissfully unaware of the situation, and as it was believed his father had died unmarried on route to France after Culloden, no search for issue of James was made.

One of the claimants that did come forward however called himself Captain James Drummond and presented himself as the only heir of the 4th Earl, he produced 'evidence' as to his claim and upon paying the fine of a little over £52,547 was granted the rights and estates. The date was 1785. He died in 1800 and left a daughter who married Lord Gwydyr.

It seems more than a little strange that the same process of law that was to deny Thomas Drummond, who had been found to be the rightful heir by a court of law, should so willingly give the estates to an imposter, but as you shall read, there are reasons why the estates were granted to him.

The true Captain James Drummond was born 24 Sept 1744 and after taking an Ensigns commission in the 66th Regiment of Foot, reached the rank of Captain in the second battalion of the 42nd or Royal Scots Highlanders which was just being formed. This Captain Drummond was dying of Consumption brought about by wounds received some years before at Edinburgh when he was stabbed by ruffians. He went to Lisbon and died there.

A copy of his certificate of Burial reads "Lord James Drummond, aged 35 years, was buried on the 13th of August, in the year 1780". " I certify that the above is a faithful Extract from the said register. Taken at Lisbon, this 14th of October, 1807, by me, HERBERT HILL,M,A" "His Britannic Majesty's Chaplain to the Factory at Lisbon."

In the year of 1783 there was an ensign named John or James Drummond serving with the 73rd Regiment of Highlanders, a certain amount of proof exists that this was the man that impersonated the real James Drummond, he did not act alone but was aided by people with the power to alter army documents the world over, very powerful people. This same proof points to the fact that he was the son of Colin Drummond, of Megginch, who, had been collector of the Cess (excise) in Perthshire, was afterwards Deputy Paymaster of Quebec, and one of the Commissariat General in Canada. His elder brother, Adam Drummond, of Megginch, was a Member of Parliament, and had the use of Drummond Castle, where he resided from 1746, until the restoration of the estate by the Act of Parliament. He had full access to any information, deeds, papers etc relating to the Perth estates.

The present Earl of Perth is not in any way connected to this false line.

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