John Carter

Admiral John Carter (1785 – 2 April 1863 ) son of Thomas Carter and Catherine Butler of Castlemartin Co Kildare and grandson of Henry Boyle Carter, was an officer of the Royal Navy, who saw service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

Carter joined the Navy in January 1798, serving aboard the 28-gun in the Mediterranean. In July Brilliant had a narrow escape from two French 44-gun frigates off Santa Cruz. On 30 March 1800 Penelope was one of the ships that intercepted and aided in the capture of the French 84-gun Guillaume Tell. Carter then took part in the pursuit of the combined Franco-Spanish fleet to the West Indies during the Trafalgar Campaign. He was promoted to post-captain on 7 December 1815, and went on to become superintendent of the Royal Hospital Haslar after the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

Carter was Superintendent of the Royal Clarence Victualling Yard between December 1841 and December 1846, and was promoted to rear-admiral on reserved half-pay on 8 April 1851. He was promoted to vice-admiral on 9 July 1857 and admiral on 4 October 1862. Admiral John Carter died on 2 April 1863 at Devonport.