The inventor of the sandwich: Who is John Montagu?
Until his death in 1792, Sandwich was the most disliked man in England. Even his friends suggested that the following be written on his tombstone: "It is rare to find a man who rose to so many positions and achieved so little."
John Montagu is considered the inventor of all packed lunches in the Western world. It may seem incredible, but the sandwich isn't actually even a grammatical word. However, it is a proper noun.
Sandwich Village, which was first mentioned in historical records in 642 AD, is an idyllic and historical settlement in the Kent region of England. Its name comes from the combination of the words "sand" and "wic", meaning "sand village" or "city on the sand" in Old English.
The settlement, which today lies three kilometers from the coast, was once a rapidly developing port. (The first captured elephant was brought to this port before being sent as a gift to Henry III).
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, (13 November 1718 – 30 April 1792) was a British statesman who succeeded his grandfather Edward Montagu, 3rd Earl of Sandwich as the Earl of Sandwich in 1729, at the age of ten. He held various military and political offices, including Postmaster General, First Lord of the Admiralty, and Secretary of State for the Northern Department. He is also known for the claim that he was the inventor of the sandwich.
King Charles II's naval base under the command of Sir Edward Montague was also located here. Montague, who was made a count by the king in 1660, began to think about which magnificent port he would honor with this new title. Among the options were Bristol and Portsmouth, but the commander eventually decided on Sandwich and his family title became the Earl of Sandwich.
THE INVENTOR OF PACKED LUNCHES
Eleven counts have come and gone to date, but the most famous of these was the fourth count, the inventor of all packed lunches in the Western world. John Montague (1718 – 1792) was a navy lord like his grandfather, but unlike him, he was both corrupt and incompetent. The Navy was in complete disarray when it was called up for the American Civil War (1775 – 1783); Many see the eventual defeat of the British forces as his fault. This is not surprising, because the Count was more busy with his own life, especially gambling, than with his work. In fact, this was the reason why he was remembered as this great culinary legend.
GAMBLER COUNT'S SANDWICH
According to the famous story, the Count gambled until dawn in 1762. Having won consecutive games, Sandwich, drunk, decided to have a snack and told the waiters to bring meat. However, he wanted the meat between two slices of bread. This was to prevent his fingers from getting greasy and leaving marks on the cards, thus preventing his opponents from following his game plan. His strategy worked and his snack spread throughout Britain's leading casinos. Thus the "sandwich" quickly became part of the British lifestyle.
HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE HELLFIRE CLUB
Sandwich was also a member of the Hellfire Club, a notorious society of nobles who mocked organized religion, and this negatively affected his reputation. Nobody knew what was going on at the club's meetings. Because the members kept what was done in the meetings as a secret. However, there were widespread rumors that they held orgies and satanic rituals. According to the stories, it was during one of these parties that Sandwich fell victim to one of the most famous maxims in history. It is said that Sandwich insulted Samuel Foote (1720 – 1777) with the following statement: "Sir, I don't know whether you will die on the gallows or of syphilis." Foote's reply was immediate: "This, my lord, is your morals or your wife's death." It depends on whether I embrace it.'' This story spread by word of mouth through Sandwich's enemies in London.
CAPTAIN COOK'S SANDWICH ISLANDS
Until his death in 1792, Sandwich was the most disliked man in England. Even his friends suggested that the following be written on his tombstone: "It is rare to find a man who rose to so many positions and achieved so little."
But the sandwich isn't his only legacy. As Commander of the Navy, Sandwich was one of the financial supporters of Captain Cook's (1728 – 1779) voyage to the New World. On January 14, Cook became the first European traveler to visit the Hawaiian Islands, which he named the Sandwich Islands after his supporter. Although the name of the islands was changed a century later, the South Sandwich Islands and Sandwich Strait are still named after this old gambler, the inventor of the sandwich. The expression of being sandwiched between two objects or appointments is of course based on it.