Crest.—Within the Garter. A griffin's head couped or, beak and wings endorsed sa. Montagu.
[Berkeley. Siris. London, 1744.]
John Montagu (born circ. 1688, died 6th July 1749) was the son of Ralph Montagu, Duke of Montagu, whom he succeeded in 1709. At the coronation of George I. the Duke of Montagu was High Constable, and he was Governor of St. Lucia and St. Vincent, both of which islands were given to him by the king.
The Duke of Montagu carried the sceptre with the cross at the coronation of George II., and in 1740 he was made Master-General of the Ordnance. He raised a regiment of cavalry, known as "Montagu's Carabineers." In 1719 he was made a Knight of the Garter, and in 1725 Grand Master of the Order of the Bath, and he also held several military appointments. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Royal College of Physicians.
The Duke's town residence, Montagu House, originally occupied the site now covered by the British Museum, and at his death it was acquired by the Government. Many alterations were carried out for the better housing of the collections which were placed in it, and eventually it was entirely rebuilt in a more convenient form. It had been originally built for Ralph, the first Duke of Montagu. The Duke married Mary Churchill, daughter of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, the great General. Lady Mary Churchill's only brother having died as a boy, she and her sisters became heraldic heiresses, so their coat-of-arms were borne on an escutcheon of pretence in the centre of the coats-of-arms of their respective husbands.
MORDAUNT, JOHN, VISCOUNT MORDAUNT
Crest.—A Saracen's head in profile ppr., wreathed about the temples, arg. and sa. Mordaunt.
Coronet.—That of a Viscount.