Family and Education

bap. 31 Jan. 1673, 2nd s. of James Montagu of Lackham; bro. of Edward Montagu*.  educ. M. Temple 1692.  m. 1716, Elizabeth (with £3,000), da. of Sir John Eyles† of Great St. Helen’s, London and Southbroom House, Devizes, Wilts., 5s. 4da.  suc. bro. Edward at Lackham 1710.1

Offices Held

Capt.-lt. Prince of Hesse’s Gren. 1692.2

Biography

In his early years Montagu appears to have worked as a lawyer, and although he had inherited £1,000 on reaching his majority he was at times financially insecure: in 1698 he appealed to Sir William Trumbull* for payment of a debt for legal work, finding himself unable to settle a bill for £13 because of his ‘extraordinary occasions for money’. Montagu secured a seat at Chippenham on his family’s interest. Like his brother Edward, he was an inactive Member, although he did exert himself on behalf of his constituents over arrears due to the town for victualling and quartering troops. In the House he voted on 13 Feb. 1703 for agreeing with the Lords’ amendments to the bill for enlarging the time for taking the oath of abjuration. Forecast as likely to oppose the Tack, he did not vote for it on 28 Nov. 1704. His circumstances changed after inheriting the family estates in 1710, and, soon after, he secured a favourable marriage with the daughter of Sir John Eyles, a wealthy Devizes merchant. Montagu died at Lackham and was buried at neighbouring Lacock on 4 Aug. 1747. His 4th son, John, sat in the Commons during George II’s reign.3

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Authors: Eveline Cruickshanks / Henry Lancaster

Notes

• 1. Wilts. RO, 1654/2; Wilts. Arch. Mag. iii. 86–7; Wilts. N. and Q. iii. 173–4.
• 2. CSP Dom. 1691–2, pp. 154–5.
• 3. HMC Downshire, i. 747, 775; Yale Univ. Beinecke Lib. Osborn coll. Blathwayt mss, box 8, William Lowndes* to William Blathwayt*, 15 Feb. 1702[–3]; Wilts. RO, 1654/3.