Sidney Wortley Montagu

Sidney Wortley Montagu (28 July 1650 – 1727), of Wortley, Yorkshire and Walcot, Northamptonshire, was a British coal-owner and Whig politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons between 1679 and 1727. He was one of the leading coal owners in the North-East and a member of powerful coal cartels. Although he served in Parliament over a long period, his contributions there were limited. Early life Montagu was the second son of Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich, MP, and his wife Jemima Crew, daughter of John Crew, 1st Baron Crew of Stene. As his father's favourite child, he received a more liberal education than his younger brothers. He was educated at Twickenham under Dr Fuller by 1660 and attended the académie du Plessis, Paris from 1662 to 1664. He accompanied his father at the Battle of Vågen in 1665. Between 1666 and 1671, he travelled abroad in Flanders, Germany, Italy and France.and Spain where his father was envoy in 1667. In 1675 he became an ensign in the Royal Foot Guards, later Grenadier Guards. About 1676, he married Anne Newcomen, his father's ward, who was brought up at Hinchingbrooke. She was the illegitimate daughter and heir of Sir Francis Wortley, 2nd Baronet of Wortley, Yorkshire who had died in 1666. Montagu assumed the additional name of Wortley. He developed extensive mining interests in Durham and Northumberland, allegedly based upon favourable leases of episcopal lands obtained from his kinsman Nathaniel Crew, Bishop of Durham.