Andrew Buchanan of Drumpellier

Andrew Buchanan of Drumpellier (1690–1759) was an 18th century tobacco merchant who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1740 to 1742.[1]

Life

He was born in 1690 the second of four sons to George Buchanan a maltster in Glasgow, and his wife, Mary Maxwell, daughter of Gabriel Maxwell a Glasgow merchant. His father had been a Covenanter who had fought at the Battle of Bothwell Bridge and was descended from the Buchanans of Buchanan and Leny.[2]

In his youth he shared lodgings with Robert Carrick, then a Divinity student, and later Rev Robert Carrick. The Reverend's son, also Robert Carrick became a rich banker, and clearly an admirer of the Buchanans later left his entire fortune to them.[3]

He was one of the first Scots to have tobacco plantations in "the New World", with major holdings in Virginia.[4]

In 1719 he purchased a property at the Long Croft in Glasgow. He purchased two further properties nearby in 1732 and 1740.[5] Having assembled sufficient adjoining properties he then created a new street: Virginia Street, lined with new villas. His own house on the street, Virginia Mansion, was not completed in his lifetime. Virginia Street still exists in the Merchant City but none of the original houses survive.[6]

In 1725 he had founded the Buchanan Society a well-intentioned, but strangely selective charity which gave financial help to apprentices and widows, but only those with the surname of Buchanan. The Society still exists and still serves this function.[7]

In 1735, with his new-found wealth, he purchased the estate of Drumpellier building Drumpellier House there from 1736 to 1739 and extending it twice thereafter. In 1737 he bought an additional estate at Auchentorlie.[8]

He had served in Glasgow Town Council since 1728 as Dean of Guild and in 1740 he was elected Lord Provost of Glasgow. In 1745, after the Battle of Prestonpans, Buchanan was one of the commissioners who met John Hay, quarter-master to Bonnie Prince Charlie's army. However, he became deeply unpopular with the prince in reducing the required levy from 15,000 shillings to 5,500 shillings.[9] This resulted in a personal levy of 500 shilling bounty being levied by the Prince against Buchanan.[10]

In 1750 he was one of the joint founders of the Ship Bank on the corner of Saltmarket and Bridgegate, Glasgow's first local bank.[11]

He died in Glasgow on 20 December 1759 and is buried in the Ramshorn Cemetery in the centre of the city.

Andrew's descendant, Lt Col Carrick Buchanan gifted Montpellier House and its grounds to the town of Coatbridge in 1919 and it is now Drumpellier Country Park.[12]

Trivia

Although built after his death (1777) Buchanan Street in Glasgow was built on lands owned by him, and is named in his honour.

Family

He was married to Marion Montgomery and had two sons and four daughters.

His eldest son James Buchanan of Drumpellier (1726-1786) was twice Lord Provost of Glasgow.[13]

His second son was George Buchanan of Mount Vernon (1728-1762).[14]

His daughter Mary Buchanan married Alexander Speirs of Elderslie in 1755 and he too then became a tobacco lord.[15]

References

  1. ↑ https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=16556
  2. ↑ Dictionary of National Biography: Andrew Buchanan
  3. ↑ http://www.glasgowhistory.co.uk/Books/MansionHouses/MansionChapters/Mount%20Vernon.htm
  4. ↑ View of the City of Glasgow, John McUre 1830
  5. ↑ Glasgow Past and Present, James Pagan 1851
  6. ↑ Dictionary of National Biography: Andrew Buchanan
  7. ↑ https://www.buchanansociety.com/
  8. ↑ Old Country Houses of the Old Glasgow Gentry 1878
  9. ↑ Memorabilia of Glasgow, John Hill 1835
  10. ↑ Scots Magazine viii 30
  11. ↑ https://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSB00078
  12. ↑ http://www.monklands.co.uk/drumpellier/
  13. ↑ https://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info/genealogy/TNGWebsite/getperson.php?personID=I10801&tree=CC
  14. ↑ http://www.glasgowhistory.co.uk/Books/MansionHouses/MansionChapters/Mount%20Vernon.htm
  15. ↑ The Glasgow Slavery Tour notes
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