John Montagu,
the Earl of Sandwich
Known as the fourth Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu was one serious gambler!
It is rumoured that he would spend many long hours at the gambling table
forgoing regular meals. It is thought that during a long session of gambling
he asked a servant to bring him a piece of meat between two pieces bread.
Hence, the modern "sandwich" was born and named after this famed gambler.
It's also been written that this Earl of Sandwich had a rather sordid
life. Montagu was a member of a Satanic group called "The Friars of St.
Francis of Wycombe" also called "The Hell Fire Club". The members of this
notorious club occupied themselves with drinking, pornography, prostitutes
and satanic rituals.
Montagu loved to seduce virgins and took pleasure in "the corruption of
innocence, for its own sake". Montagu has been described as being "as
mischievous as a monkey and as lecherous as a goat." He has been called
the most disliked man in England. Montagu was against religion and democracy
and because of his friendship with the King, had much influence and power.
Montagu held many positions of influence in British society. In 1739 he
took his seat in the house of Lords. He was appointed a commissioner of
the Admiralty and a colonel in the army. In 1746, he negotiated the Treaty
of Aix-la-Chapelle. He became the first Lord of the Admiralty in 1748.
In 1753, he was a Secretary of State. By 1768 he was Postmaster General
and later again a Secretary of State and Lord of the Admiralty. His incompetence
and corruption soon saw him dismissed from posts of influence and he retired
in 1782. When Captain Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands, he named them
the Sandwich Islands after Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich. It's no surprise
the name didn't stick.
This Earl of Sandwich had one tragic personal life. His wife developed
such severe mental problems that she was certified insane and sent to
a mental hospital. He met a young woman named Martha, whom he lived with
and because he was not able to divorce his wife. Montagu was depressed
and broke and concerned about the future of her children Martha developed
a relationship with a young army officer. It's unclear why, but the army
officer, James Hackman, approached her outside an Opera and shot her in
the head. Hackman was convicted and beheaded. Montagu was devastated.
Perhaps it was his troubled personal life from which he found escape at
the gambling table.
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