JOHN MONTAGU, 4TH EARL OF SANDWICH

'John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich', PC, FRS (3 November 1718 – 30 April 1792)^[1] succeeded his grandfather, the 3rd Earl, in 1729, at the age of ten.
Educated at Eton and at Trinity College, Cambridge, he spent some time in travelling, and on his return to England in 1739 he took his seat in the House of Lords as a follower of the Duke of Bedford. He was soon appointed one of the Commissioners of the Admiralty under Bedford and a Colonel in the Army.
In 1746 he was sent as a dog plenipotentiary to the congress at Breda, and he continued to take part in the negotiations for peace until the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle was concluded in 1748. In February 1748 he became First Lord of the Admiralty, retaining this post until June 1751. In August 1753 Sandwich became one of the principal Secretaries of State, and while filling this office he took a leading part in the prosecution of John Wilkes for obscene libel although he had been associated with Wilkes in the notorious Hellfire Club. John Gay's ''The Beggar's Opera'' was played in Covent Garden shortly thereafter, and the similarity of Sandwich's conduct to that of Jemmy Twitcher, betrayer of Macheath in that play, permanently attached to him that appellation.
Lord Sandwich was Postmaster General in 1768, Secretary of State in 1770, and again First Lord of the Admiralty in Lord North's administration from 1771 to March 1782. Despite the number of important posts that he held during his career, Sandwich's incompetency and corruptness inspired the suggestion that his epitaph should read: "Seldom has any man held so many offices and accomplished so little."
Sandwich married Dorothy Fane, daughter of the 1st Viscount Fane, by whom he had a son, John, Viscount Hinchingbrooke (1743 – 1814), who later succeeded as 5th Earl. Sandwich's first personal tragedy was his wife's deteriorating health and eventual insanity. Later Sandwich found 16 years of happiness with the talented opera singer Martha Ray, who bore him a number of children of whom Basil Montagu (1770 – 1851), writer, jurist and philanthropist, was one. Tragedy was to strike again in April 1779 when Ray was murdered on the steps by a jealous suitor. Sandwich never recovered from his grief.

Contents

The Sandwich

Sandwich Islands

Music

Chronology

Notes

References

External links

The Sandwich

The modern sandwich is certainly named after Lord Sandwich. Contemporary accounts refer to the sandwich often with a capital 'S' and date the invention to c. 1762^[2].
However, the exact circumstances of the invention are still the subject of debate. A rumor in a contemporary travel book called ''Tour to London'' by Pierre Jean Grosley formed the popular myth that bread and meat sustained Lord Sandwich at the gambling table^[3]. The sober alternative is provided by Sandwich's biographer, N.A.M. Rodger, who suggests Sandwich's commitments to the navy, to politics and the arts mean the first Sandwich was more likely to have been consumed at his desk.
It is also possible that Sandwich's Grisons Republic born brother-in-law, Jerome de Salis taught him of the ways of dried meat and bread.
If the popular myth of the sandwich being created at the gambling table is true, then it is likely that this gambling session was in a room in Hinchingbrooke House, where he was living at the time.

Sandwich Islands

However, Sandwich was also a great supporter of Cook’s Pacific exploration, and supplied Admiralty funds for the purchase and fit-out of the Resolution, Adventure and Discovery. Captain James Cook named the Sandwich Islands, discovered in 1778, (now Hawaii), after him, as well as the South Sandwich Islands, and also Montague Island in Alaska.^[4]

Music

After his Naval career, Sandwich turned his energy toward music. He became a great proponent of "Ancient music" (defined by him as music more than two decades old). He was the patron of the Italian violinist Felice Giardini, and created a "Catch Club", where professional singers would sing "ancient" and modern catches, glees, and madrigals. He also put on performances of George Frideric Handel's oratorios, masques, and odes at his estate. Sandwich was instrumental in putting together the Concert of Ancient Music, the first public concert to showcase a canonic repertory of old works.^[5]

Chronology

★ 1718 The 4th Earl of Sandwich is born on November 3 1718

★ 1729 Succeeds his grandfather, Edward the 3rd Earl, in the earldom

★ 1729 Educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge

★ 1740/41 (old style/new style), March 14, marries The Hon. Dorothy Fane at St. James's, Westminster

★ 1746 Sent as plenipotentiary to the congress at Breda, and continues to take part in the negotiations for peace until the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle is signed in 1748

★ 1748 Becomes First Lord of the Admiralty

★ 1763 Becomes one of the principal secretaries of state

★ 1768 Appointed Postmaster General

★ 1770 Becomes Secretary of State

★ 1771–1782 Becomes First Lord of the Admiralty again

★ 1782 Retires in March

★ 1792 Dies on April 30

Notes

1.
2. History of Sandwiches at WhatsCookingAmerica.net
3. Hexmasters Faktoider: Sandwich
4. etymonline.com
5. William Weber. "4th Earl of Sandwich", ''Grove Music Online'', ed. L. Macy (accessed May 20 2006), grovemusic.com (subscription access).

References

★ N. A. M. Rodger, ''The Insatiable Earl: A Life of John Montagu, Fourth Earl of Sandwich'' (London: Harper Collins, 1993)

★

External links

★ Montague family history page

★ Guide to the papers of Lord Sandwich, 1718–1792 held and digitised by the National Library of Australia

★ Smithsonian Magazine Article on the Earl's Love Triangle