Sidney Wortley Montagu facts for kids
Sidney Wortley Montagu (born July 28, 1650 – died 1727) was an important figure in British history. He owned many coal mines in areas like Yorkshire and Northamptonshire. He was also a politician who served in the English and later the British Parliament for a long time, from 1679 until 1727. He was known as a Whig, which was a political party at the time. Sidney was one of the biggest coal owners in the North-East of England. He worked with other coal owners to manage the coal trade. Even though he was in Parliament for many years, he didn't often speak or lead big changes there.
Early Life and Family
Sidney Wortley Montagu was the second son of Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich, who was also a Member of Parliament. His mother was Jemima Crew. Sidney was his father's favorite child. Because of this, he received a very good education.
He studied in Twickenham by 1660. Then, he went to a special school in Paris from 1662 to 1664. In 1665, he even went with his father to a naval battle called the Battle of Vågen.
Between 1666 and 1671, Sidney traveled a lot. He visited countries like Flanders, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain. In 1675, he joined the army as an ensign in the Royal Foot Guards.
Around 1676, Sidney married Anne Newcomen. She was the daughter of Sir Francis Wortley, who had passed away. Anne had been raised by Sidney's father. Because of this marriage, Sidney added "Wortley" to his name. He also gained control of many coal mining areas in Durham and Northumberland.
Political Journey
Sidney Wortley Montagu's political power came from his family's influence. In February 1679, he became a Member of Parliament for Huntingdon. He was part of a committee that looked at elections. However, he didn't give many speeches. He was also a Commissioner for taxes in Huntingdonshire.
He was elected again for Huntingdon in August 1679 and February 1681. He continued to be involved in election committees. In 1680, he became a Deputy Lieutenant for West Riding.
At first, Sidney wasn't sure about William of Orange coming to England. But when King James's army started losing support, Sidney became active in the Revolution. He took control of Sheffield with the local militia. He was also one of the first to sign a petition from Yorkshire asking for a free Parliament.
In January 1689, he was elected again for Huntingdon. He continued to serve on election committees. His wife became Roman Catholic and moved abroad. Sidney was allowed to create a special law to make sure their children would be cared for if his wife outlived him. This law was approved by the King.
He was reappointed Deputy Lieutenant for West Riding in October 1688. He held this position for the rest of his life. He also became a Justice of the Peace for Northamptonshire.
Sidney Wortley Montagu helped manage the lands of his nephew, Edward Montagu, 3rd Earl of Sandwich. This gave him a lot of influence in elections in Huntingdon. He was able to help elect at least one Member of Parliament for Huntingdon in most elections between 1690 and 1715.
He was elected for Huntingdon in the 1690 English general election. He continued to be a Justice of the Peace for West Yorkshire. In the 1695 English general election, he stepped aside from his Huntingdon seat. He allowed another family member to run instead.
Sidney returned to Parliament in 1696 for Camelford. In the 1698 English general election, he became an MP for Peterborough. He was part of the Whig party.
He continued to be elected for Peterborough in 1701, 1702, 1705, and 1708. In 1710, he supported the impeachment of Dr Henry Sacheverel. He lost the election in Peterborough in 1710.
Sidney was a member of a group of coal owners in the North-East. In 1710, they asked Parliament to stop a bill that would prevent groups like theirs from working together. Through their efforts, they were able to stop the bill from affecting their business.
In 1713, he became the Member for Huntingdon again. He replaced his son in this role. He remained a quiet Member of Parliament. In 1714, he voted against removing Richard Steele from Parliament.
Sidney was elected for Huntingdon again in 1715. He stayed loyal to the Whig government. He voted for the Septennial Act in 1716, which changed how often elections were held. He was elected again for Peterborough in 1722. He lost the election in Peterborough in 1727. However, his appeal was successful, and he was declared the winner in May 1728.
Coal Business
Sidney Wortley Montagu was a very important person in the coal industry. In 1709, he joined a powerful group of coal owners. By 1714, he was one of the biggest coal owners in the country. He worked closely with other coal business leaders in Parliament. They worked together on issues that affected their shared interests.
In 1716, he left this group, which made him unpopular with his former partners. But in 1726, he formed a new, even bigger group with two other major coal owners, George Bowes and the Liddells. This new group was called the Grand Alliance. It controlled the coal trade for many years.
Later Life and Legacy
Sidney Wortley Montagu passed away on November 9, 1727. He had outlived his wife and most of his sons. His second son, Edward, inherited all of his coal mining businesses and the family lands. Sidney also had grandchildren from his son John, who had passed away, and two daughters who were still alive.
