Frederick William Carter, 1870-1952

Abstract

Frederick William Carter, who was born on 16 December 1870, died at Long Itchington, Warwickshire, on 29 May 1952, at the age of 81; with his passing goes a pioneer who, by the application of mathematical methods, contributed much to the development of a great industry on scientific lines. There is no record that any other member of the family, in his own generation or among his forebears, achieved prominence in science or learning, or in any branch of public affairs. Four generations back, on his father’s side, the Carters were tradesmen in a general sense in Coventry. His great grandfather moved to Birmingham and set up as a printer, and the eldest son (Carter’s grandfather) seems to have had a strong artistic bent. This was applied in a practical manner when he was apprenticed to Halliday, a well-known die-sinker and medallist of the day. In 1836 Carter’s grandfather set up in business on his own as a die-sinker and medallist, and there are some very fine examples extant of the work carried out by the firm at this time. The main part of the business was, however, in making dies for buttons for livery, military and naval uniforms, etc. F. W. Carter’s father, Joseph Carter, carried on the business, and in his turn Carter, being the eldest son and second child of a family of nine, was apprenticed in 1885. However, he has stated that he had neither the artistic ability nor the high degree of skill that a die-sinker needed for this work. This is perhaps an under-estimate. A wax model made by him as a portrait of his grandfather for a medal at least indicates that he had artistic ability; and throughout his life he was interested in matters of art, especially pictures—an inheritance from his father. The business ultimately passed to a younger brother who carried it on until the works was destroyed by enemy action in 1940. His mother was Elizabeth Backler, a daughter of the Superintendent of Police, Ladywood Division of Birmingham. Carter himself held her in great affection, as did also all her other children and their wives and husbands. She was, from their accounts, a woman of energetic character and strong personality. His father was a taciturn individual with a strong artistic bent and spent most of his spare cash in purchasing pictures.