Victor Montagu
Encyclopedia
Alexander Victor Edward Paulet Montagu, 10th Earl of Sandwich (22 May 1906–25 February 1995), known as Viscount Hinchingbrooke from 1916 to 1962, as the Earl of Sandwich from 1962 to 1964 and as Victor Montagu from 1964 to 1995, was a British
Conservative
Member of Parliament
(MP) and right-wing politician.
Montagu was the eldest son of George Montagu, 9th Earl of Sandwich
, and his wife Alberta (née Sturges), and was educated at Eton
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. In 1926, he joined the 5th (Huntingdonshire) Battalion of The Northamptonshire Regiment as a Lieutenant
. He then joined the Conservatives and was Private Secretary to the Lord President of the Council
, Stanley Baldwin
, from 1932 to 1934 and Treasurer of the Junior Imperial League from 1934 to 1935.
He briefly served in France
during World War II
in 1940. A year later, he was elected MP for South Dorset, replacing Viscount Cranborne
, who was called up to the House of Lords
. A radical backbencher
, Montagu setup the Tory Reform Committee in 1943, and was its founding chairman until a year later. It was at this time he wrote Essays in Tory Reform, a response to the party's moves toward liberalism.
Montagu was elected in the following five general elections
, and continued as MP for South Dorset until 1962 when his father died. Montagu succeeded to his titles and could no longer sit in the Commons. Lord Sandwich did disclaim his peerages in 1964, however, under the Peerage Act
, which was passed a year earlier. Although he did not sit in the House of Commons again, Montagu was President of the Anti-Common Market League
from 1962–84; he also joined the Conservative Monday Club
in 1964 and wrote The Conservative Dilemma in 1970.
Montagu married firstly Rosemary Peto, a goddaughter of Queen Maud of Norway
and the only daughter of Major Ralph Peto, on 27 July 1934. They had seven children but were divorced in 1958. He married secondly Lady Anne Holland-Martin (née Cavendish), the youngest daughter of Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire
, and widow of Christopher Holland-Martin
MP. Their marriage was annulled in 1965.
Montagu died in 1995, aged 88 and his eldest son, John
, succeeded as the 11th Earl.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) and right-wing politician.
Montagu was the eldest son of George Montagu, 9th Earl of Sandwich
George Montagu, 9th Earl of Sandwich
George Charles Montagu, 9th Earl of Sandwich , known as George Montagu until 1916, was a British Conservative politician....
, and his wife Alberta (née Sturges), and was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. In 1926, he joined the 5th (Huntingdonshire) Battalion of The Northamptonshire Regiment as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. He then joined the Conservatives and was Private Secretary to the Lord President of the Council
Lord President of the Council
The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above the Lord Privy Seal. The Lord President usually attends each meeting of the Privy Council, presenting business for the monarch's approval...
, Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
, from 1932 to 1934 and Treasurer of the Junior Imperial League from 1934 to 1935.
He briefly served in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1940. A year later, he was elected MP for South Dorset, replacing Viscount Cranborne
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 5th Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur James Gascoyne-Cecil, 5th Marquess of Salisbury, KG, PC , known as Viscount Cranborne from 1903 to 1947, was a British Conservative politician.-Background:...
, who was called up to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. A radical backbencher
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
, Montagu setup the Tory Reform Committee in 1943, and was its founding chairman until a year later. It was at this time he wrote Essays in Tory Reform, a response to the party's moves toward liberalism.
Montagu was elected in the following five general elections
United Kingdom general elections
This is a list of United Kingdom general elections since the first in 1802. The members of the 1801–1802 Parliament had been elected to the former Parliament of Great Britain and Parliament of Ireland, before being co-opted to serve in the first Parliament of the United Kingdom, so that Parliament...
, and continued as MP for South Dorset until 1962 when his father died. Montagu succeeded to his titles and could no longer sit in the Commons. Lord Sandwich did disclaim his peerages in 1964, however, under the Peerage Act
Peerage Act 1963
The Peerage Act 1963 is the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permitted peeresses in their own right and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords, and which allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be "disclaimed".-Background:The Act resulted largely from the...
, which was passed a year earlier. Although he did not sit in the House of Commons again, Montagu was President of the Anti-Common Market League
Anti-Common Market League
Get Britain Out is a British Eurosceptic organisation.The group was set up in 1961 in response to the failed attempt by Britain to enter the European Economic Community the previous year. Led by John Paul and Michael Shay, the group was initially restricted to Conservative Party members...
from 1962–84; he also joined the Conservative Monday Club
Conservative Monday Club
The Conservative Monday Club is a British pressure group "on the right-wing" of the Conservative Party.-Overview:...
in 1964 and wrote The Conservative Dilemma in 1970.
Montagu married firstly Rosemary Peto, a goddaughter of Queen Maud of Norway
Maud of Wales
Princess Maud of Wales was Queen of Norway as spouse of King Haakon VII. She was a member of the British Royal Family as the youngest daughter of Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark and granddaughter of Queen Victoria and also of Christian IX of Denmark. She was the younger sister of George V...
and the only daughter of Major Ralph Peto, on 27 July 1934. They had seven children but were divorced in 1958. He married secondly Lady Anne Holland-Martin (née Cavendish), the youngest daughter of Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire
Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire
Victor Christian William Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire , known as Victor Cavendish until 1908, was a British politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 11th since Canadian Confederation....
, and widow of Christopher Holland-Martin
Christopher Holland-Martin
Christopher John Holland-Martin was a British banker and Conservative Party politician.-Early career:The son of the Chairman of Martins Bank, Holland-Martin was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford. He followed his father's profession but in 1939 was commissioned in the Royal Fusiliers...
MP. Their marriage was annulled in 1965.
Montagu died in 1995, aged 88 and his eldest son, John
John Montagu, 11th Earl of Sandwich
John Edward Hollister Montagu, 11th Earl of Sandwich is a British entrepreneur, politician and nobleman.Montagu is the eldest son of Victor Montagu, who disclaimed the earldom of Sandwich in 1964, and his first wife Maud Rosemary...
, succeeded as the 11th Earl.