History
18th Century Gambling-Obsessed Earl Was The Inspiration Behind The Sandwich
The sandwich was reportedly named after John Montagu, Earl of Sandwich.
John Montagu, born on November 13, 1718, was a British diplomat who got his education at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1729, when he was just 10 years old, he succeeded his grandfather, Edward Montagu, as the Earl of Sandwich.
The title was created in 1660 in recognition of the achievements of Admiral Sir Edward Montagu. His great-grandson John served as First Lord of the Admiralty and Secretary of State for the Northern Department throughout his life. He also became known as a supporter of Captain James Cook’s exploration voyages. In exchange for Montagu’s help, the Sandwich Islands in Hawaii was named after him. Apparently, the man is also the inspiration for the famous food item of the same name.
Since 18th century Europe, the “sandwich” has been known as meat (or anything one prefers) placed between slices of bread.
The practice of placing bread below or around food, or using it to scoop a portion of food, however, has been found in cultures before the 18th century. But the first written usage of the word “sandwich” can be found in Edward Gibbon’s journal.
In his satirical travel book French travel writer and observer Pierre-Jean Grosley talked about the origins of the sandwich.
In A Tour to London; Or New Observations on England and its Inhabitants, Grosley wrote about John Montagu’s gambling habits, among his other vices. Montagu was described as a relentless gambler. According to the writer, if Montagu was on a streak, he would not leave the table for hours and would only eat food brought on request so that he doesn’t starve to death.
The story goes that whenever he got hungry, Montagu ordered slices of meat tucked between two pieces of bread.
The arrangement of the meat and bread allowed the Earl to continue playing cards while filling his stomach. He didn’t need to use a fork and a knife, so he had less distraction while gambling. He also kept the cards clean and not greasy since he held the bread and not the pieces of meat.
This eating habit became known among Montagu’s gambling friends.
They soon all started to order “the same as Sandwich.” And this gave birth to the sandwich that we know and love today.
Another story, a more dignified one, appears in the writings of Nicholas A. M. Rodger, Montagu’s biographer. He states that with the Earl’s many commitments, he often had to eat at his working desk. The author believes the first-ever sandwich and many after it may have been eaten by the Earl while working as opposed to gambling.
History
12 Extremely Strange Practices Of Our Ancestors
They certainly didn’t like taking baths back then.
While history is undoubtedly fascinating, there are things about the past that are rather strange. Generations before us had their own beliefs. They possessed their own understanding of the world and how things worked, and they engaged in practices that to us may seem weird now but to them were just fine back then.
Below, we list just 12 of the strangest things our ancestors did. Which one stands out to you?
1. Using heroin to cure cough
History
The Interesting History Behind Columbia Pictures’ Iconic Torch Lady
You’ve seen the logo hundreds of times but do you know the story behind it?
If you are a movie fan, then you are surely familiar with the logos of different movie companies. When we see a castle, we know its Walt Disney while we’re sure it’s Paramount when we see a mountain. Warner Bros, on the other hand, features the iconic shield while DreamWorks shows us a boy fishing as he sits on the moon.
Undoubtedly one of the most recognizable logos in the film industry is Columbia Pictures’ which prominently features a lady that probably reminds people about the Statue of Liberty, more or less.
So what’s the story behind this logo and who is that lady? Well let’s turn back the hands of time and find out!
History
Researchers Discover Ancient Viking Burial Fabrics with Name of Allah Woven into Them
This discovery suggests that Viking funeral customs were influenced by Islam.
Allah's name has just been found embroidered into ancient Viking burial clothes. Swedish researchers describe this breakthrough discovery as "staggering."
The silk patterns on the fabrics were first thought to be ordinary Viking Age decoration, but a closer examination by archaeologist Annika Larsson of Uppsala University revealed they were a geometric Kufic script. The script was found woven on bands and clothes, in two separate grave sites.
The discovery suggests that ancient Viking funeral customs were really influenced by Islam and were not just a result of plundering and eastward trade.
