Social Victorians/People/Sandwich

Also Known As edit

  • Family name: Montagu
  • Earl of Sandwich
    • Edward George Henry Montagu, 8th Earl of Sandwich (3 March 1884 – 26 June 1916)[1]
  • Viscount Hinchingbrooke
    • Edward George Henry Montagu, 8th Earl of Sandwich ( – 3 March 1884)[2]

Acquaintances, Friends and Enemies edit

Timeline edit

1897 July 2, Friday, the Earl of Sandwich attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball at Devonshire House.

Costume at the Duchess of Devonshire's 2 July 1897 Fancy-dress Ball edit

 
Edward George Henry Montagu, 8th Earl of Sandwich in costume as Lord Burleigh. ©National Portrait Gallery, London.
 
William Cecil (1520–1598), 1st Baron Burghley

Edward Montagu, 8th Earl of Sandwich (at 71) attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball as Lord Burleigh in the Queen Elizabeth quadrille:

  • "The Earl of Sandwich (gentleman of the Court of Queen Elizabeth)."[3]:p. 36, Col. 3b
  • He was dressed as the Lord of Burleigh[3]:p. 32, Col. 3c
  • He was dressed as a "Gentleman of the Court of Queen Elizabeth, in blue-grey satin, embroidered with silver, and wearing the Order of the Garter."[4]:p. 8, Col. 1b
  • He was dressed "in blue-grey satin and silver and wearing the Order of the Garter."[5]:p. 5, Col. 7a
  • "[T]he Earl of Sandwich appeared as a gentleman of the Court of Queen Elizabeth."[6]:p. 3, Col. 4a

Lafayette's portrait of "Edward George Henry Montagu, 8th Earl of Sandwich as Lord Burleigh" in costume is photogravure #206 in the album presented to the Duchess of Devonshire and now in the National Portrait Gallery.[7] The printing on the portrait says, "The Earl of Sandwich as Lord Burleigh."[8]

The newspaper and Album said he was dressed as Lord Burleigh, but they probably meant William Cecil (13 September 1520 – 4 or 5 August 1598), 1st Baron Burghley, advisor to Queen Elizabeth I.[9] There was a Lord Burleigh as they spell it in Elizabethan times, Michael Balfour, 1st Lord Balfour of Burleigh ( – 15 March 1619), but did not get his title, which was granted by James I, until 1607.[10] Also, Balfour was was not Elizabeth's advisor and not her most important one, as Lord Burghley was.

Edward, Earl of Sandwich was nearly 68 at the time of the ball and may be wearing the insignia of the Knight of the Garter in his portrait around his neck or just below his left knee. The portrait (right) of Lord Burghley shows him wearing some kind of insignia, possibly Knight of the Garter. Also, in most of his portraits, Lord Burghley is shown holding a staff, as he is in the Earl of Sandwich's portrait, but he is usually shown wearing official robes rather than the kind of costume Edward, Earl of Sandwich is wearing.

Rosamund Fellowes, Lady de Ramsey (at 329) was said to be dressed as Lady Burleigh and also walked in the Queen Elizabeth procession. It seems likely that she was Burghley rather than Burleigh as well.

Demographics edit

  • Nationality: British

Family edit

  • Edward George Henry Montagu, 8th Earl of Sandwich (13 July 1839 – 26 June 1916)[2]

Notes and Questions edit

  1. Edward, Earl Sandwich never married and seems not to have had any children out of wedlock, either.

Footnotes edit

  1. "Edward George Henry Montagu, 8th Earl of Sandwich." "Person Page". thepeerage.com. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Edward Montagu, 8th Earl of Sandwich". Wikipedia. 2020-07-27. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edward_Montagu,_8th_Earl_of_Sandwich&oldid=969841732. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 “The Duchess of Devonshire’s Ball.” The Gentlewoman 10 July 1897 Saturday: 32–42 [of 76], Cols. 1a–3c [of 3]. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003340/18970710/155/0032.
  4. "Fancy Dress Ball at Devonshire House." Morning Post Saturday 3 July 1897: 7 [of 12], Col. 4a–8 Col. 2b. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000174/18970703/054/0007.
  5. "Duchess of Devonshire's Fancy Ball. A Brilliant Spectacle. Some of the Dresses." London Daily News Saturday 3 July 1897: 5 [of 10], Col. 6a–6, Col. 1b. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000051/18970703/024/0005 and https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000051/18970703/024/0006.
  6. “The Ball at Devonshire House. Magnificent Spectacle. Description of the Dresses.” London Evening Standard 3 July 1897 Saturday: 3 [of 12], Cols. 1a–5b [of 7]. British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000183/18970703/015/0004.
  7. "Devonshire House Fancy Dress Ball (1897): photogravures by Walker & Boutall after various photographers." 1899. National Portrait Gallery https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait-list.php?set=515.
  8. "Earl of Sandwich as Lord Burleigh." Diamond Jubilee Fancy Dress Ball. National Portrait Gallery https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw158569/Edward-George-Henry-Montagu-8th-Earl-of-Sandwich-as-Lord-Burleigh.
  9. "William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley". Wikipedia. 2021-12-06. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Cecil,_1st_Baron_Burghley&oldid=1058888338.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cecil,_1st_Baron_Burghley.
  10. "Michael Balfour, 1st Lord Balfour of Burleigh". Wikipedia. 2021-10-22. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Balfour,_1st_Lord_Balfour_of_Burleigh&oldid=1051316474.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Balfour,_1st_Lord_Balfour_of_Burleigh.