Lot 4084

Description

Earl of Sandwich signature, on a promissory note, London Oct 8th 1791, to pay to the Earl of Sandwich or to his order, one thousand pounds, signed by Fasham Nairn, with impressed II Shillings duty stamp, on the reverse signed, 'Sandwich' and below his signature, 'Received the contents' and signed Wm Martin, at the bottom edge has been written at a later date details of the Earl of Sandwich and his government posts, also written across the front bottom edge, 'Recommended by Lloyd who was to have guaranteed the Bond but went out of Town and died'. Very fine.

John Montague, 4th Earl of Sandwich (1718-1792), was British 1st Lord of the Admiralty (1771-82), a period that included the American Revolution (1776-81). He was a great supporter of Captain James Cook and in recognition of this Cook named some of his discoveries in his honour, namely, The Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), South Sandwich Islands in the Southern Atlantic Ocean, Montague Island off the south east coast of Australia, and Montague Island in the Gulf of Alaska. The word 'sandwich' was also taken from his name due to his custom of spending long hours at the gambling tables and requesting his servant bring him meat between two pieces of bread to sustain him.

Fasham Nairn was a member of a prominent British family.