Who was John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich?

John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, was an 18th-century British statesman and peer who held multiple high-ranking military and political offices. He served as Postmaster General, First Lord of the Admiralty, and Secretary of State for the Northern Department. Beyond his political and administrative career, he is famously credited as the inventor of the sandwich.

What we know

• John Montagu succeeded his grandfather as the Earl of Sandwich in 1729 at the age of ten. [2]
• He held several prominent political and military offices, including Postmaster General and First Lord of the Admiralty. [2]
• He is widely known for the claim that he invented the sandwich. [1, 2]
• He fathered Basil Montagu with his mistress, the singer Martha Ray. [5]

Where to go next

• the bigger pictureWhat was the role of the First Lord of the Admiralty?
• whoWho was Martha Ray?
• how it workedHow was the sandwich invented?
• what followedHow did British bankruptcy laws reform over time?
• compared withHow does Thomas Montagu's career compare?
• an unexpected connectionHow is the Earl of Sandwich connected to British bankruptcy law reforms?The 4th Earl of Sandwich's son, Basil Montagu, became a notable legal reformer who significantly altered British bankruptcy laws.

Sources

• [1]John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich (Wikidata Q334953) · CC0 1.0
• [2]John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Thomas Montagu, 4th Earl of Salisbury · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Basil Montagu · CC BY-SA 4.0

Your path

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5. /Who was John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich?