John Montagu, 5th Earl of Sandwich

John Montagu, 5th Earl of Sandwich, PC (26 January 1744 – 6 June 1814), styled Viscount Hinchingbrooke until 1792, was a British peer and Tory politician.

Background and education

Montagu was the eldest son of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, by the Honourable Dorothy Fane, third surviving daughter of Charles Fane, 1st Viscount Fane. He was educated at Eton. In 1761, at the age of 17, he joined the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards as a Captain.

Political career

In 1765, Hinchingbrooke entered Parliament as Tory Member of Parliament (although he supported the Fox-North Coalition of 1783) for Brackley, a seat he held until 1768, and then represented Huntingdonshire from 1768 to 1792, when he succeeded his father in the earldom. He served as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household from 1771 to 1782, as Master of the Buckhounds from 1783 to 1806 and as Joint Postmaster General from 1807 to 1814. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1771.

Family

Lord Sandwich married firstly his distant cousin Lady Elizabeth Montague-Dunk, only daughter of George Montague-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax, 8 March 1766. Lady Elizabeth died in 1768 and Sandwich married Lady Mary Powlett, daughter and co-heir of Admiral Harry Powlett or Paulet, 6th and last Duke of Bolton. Lord Sandwich lived and was a rural landowner at Hinchingbrooke House today in north Cambridgeshire and held other farming interests. His eldest child, John George Montagu, by his first wife died in 1790. Lord Sandwich died in June 1814, aged 70, and was succeeded by his eldest son by his second wife, George. Lord Sandwich's illegitimate son William Augustus Montagu rose to the rank of Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy. William is thought to be named after his uncle, William Augustus, who died at Lisbon in 1776.