On 3 November 1718 John Montague, Fourth Earl of Sandwich, was born in London.

What is John Montague famous for?

John Montague is credited with creating the first sandwich in 1778. Supposedly, the Earl, while gambling, refused to leave the table during an all-night card game. Hungry, he told his servants to bring him some meat placed between two slices of bread so he could eat with one hand and continue to play with the other.

John Montague was also England's first lord of Admiralty and the man after whom Captain Cook named the Sandwich Islands in 1778.

Also on this day ....

3 November 1957 - First living creature orbited Earth

A female Russian dog named Laika was the first living passenger to orbit the Earth when she flew on Sputnik 2.

3 November 1975 - North Sea oil starts to flow

The Queen today officially opened the world's first underwater pipeline which brings 400,000 barrels of North Sea oil ashore each day.

3 November Japanese Culture Day

A national holiday held annually in Japan on 3 November for the purpose of promoting Japanese culture. It was on this day in 1946 that the present Constitution of Japan was officially announced.