William Carter (1875 - 1955)

Born 1875 in Oldbury, Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Pamela Annie (Gadd) Carter — married 7 Nov 1897 in Blackheath, Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 8 Dec 1955 at about age 80 in Durban, South Africa

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Biography

William was born in 1875 at Oldbury, Worcestershire, the son of John Carter and Mary Jane Troman/Tromans. ^[1]

In the 1881 census the Carter family was residing at 31 Birmingham Road, Oldbury. William was aged 5 years. ^[2]

The family immigrated to the US in 1883. The family, excluding father John, departed from Liverpool aboard the S S Ohio and arrived in Philadelphia on 11 January 1883. Ship records stated Mary J was aged 30, Elizabeth was aged 8, William was aged 6, Emma J was aged 4, Louisa was aged 2 and Walter was an infant. ^[3]

It is assumed John travelled ahead to find work and accommodation.

Mary and four of William's siblings returned to England aboard the City of Paris, sailing from New York to Southampton, arriving on 3 October 1894. Mary J was then aged 40, Lizzie [sic] aged 19, Emma aged 17, Walter aged 11 and Florence aged 3. ^[4]

It is uncertain when John and William returned to England but clearly they both did so.

William Carter married Pamela Annie Gadd on 7 November 1897 at St Paul's Church, Blackheath, Worcestershire. Their marriage certificate recorded William was a bachelor aged 22 and a bricklayer. His father was named as John Carter, a bricklayer. Pamela Annie was a spinster aged 21. Her father was named as as Job Gadd, a rivetmaker. At the time of their marriage William was residing at Mott St and Pamela at Maltmill Lane. Their witnesses were Job Gadd, Annie's father, and Emma Jane Carter, William’s sister. ^[5]

This couple had two daughters named Doris Eva Carter born 1898 and Mabel Freda Carter born 1901, both born at Bearwood, Worcestershire.

In the 1901 census the family was living at 21 Weston Rd, Smethwick, Staffordshire. William, aged in his 20s [his age was heavily overscored and unreadable], was still working as a bricklayer. Pamela was aged 24 . Doris was aged 2 and Mabel was aged just 2 months. ^[6]

The family then moved to live in South Africa. ^[7]

Daughter Elsie Clark Carter was baptised on 9 February 1913 at Benoni, Transvaal. Her parents were named as William and Pamilia [sic] Carter of Kleinfontein Rd P.O., Benoni and William was a mason. Elsie's sponsors were named as William Carter, Pamilia Carter and Elizabeth Chapman. Her date of birth was recorded as 12 January 1913. ^[8]

It is assumed Elsie died young as she was not mentioned in any of the documentation when Pamela died.

Wife Pamela Annie Carter died on Sunday 24 January 1926 at 51 Railway Avenue, Benoni, near Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa aged 49 years. Her Death Notice [Estate Files] further recorded Pamela's maiden name was Gadd. She had been born in Langley [sic], England of English descent and her parents [unnamed] were both deceased. At the time of her death Pamela was a midwife and her usual residence was in Talana, Natal. Her husband was named as William Carter and her children as Doris Eva Wright and Mabel Freda Thomas. William was present at her death. Her estate was estimated to be valued at under £300. ^[9]
The Form of Information of a Death confirmed Pamela's date and place of death but recorded her age as 51 years. It further stated her cause of death as enteric fever and heart dilation, 14 days. She was buried at Benoni Cemetery. ^[10]

William Carter remarried to Annie Maud Gamley on 2 August 1927 at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Durban, Natal by special licence with an antenuptial [prenuptial] contract. The marriage register recorded William was a widower aged 52 and a bricklayer. He had been born in England but was then living in Dundee, Natal. Annie was a spinster aged 52. She had been born in the Union of South Africa and was then a resident of Durban. Their witnesses were E. Griffiths and M. E. Logan. ^[11]

William Carter died on 8 December 1955 at Addington Hospital, Durban aged 80 years. His Death Notice [Estate Files] further recorded William was usually a resident of 308 Montrose, Rutherford St, Durban and was a stonemason. He had been born in Birmingham, England but was a South African National. William's parents were named as John Carter and Mary Ann Carter, both deceased. At the time of his death he was married to Annie Maud Carter. They had married out of community of property, in Durban. William had previously been married to Pamela Annie Carter who had died on 26 January 1926 [sic]. He had two living children named Doris Wright and Mabel Thomas. The informant was his surviving spouse A. M. Carter.

THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of me WILLIAM CARTER of Riverview, Zululand.
1. I revoke and annul all Wills, Codicils and other testamentary dispositions heretofore made by me.
2. I declare that my daughters DORIS EVA WRIGHT (born Carter) wife of ARCHIBALD VINCENT WRIGHT, of Market Avenue, Benoni, in the Province of the Transvaal, and MABEL FREDA THOMAS (born Carter), wife of HERBERT STEPHEN THOMAS, of 51 Railway Avenue, Benoni aforesaid, shall not either of them participate or have any interest or share in my Estate and effects under this my Will, as I have already during my life-time, paid, made over and given to each of them their respective shares, which I had intended to leave, give and bequeath to them out of my Estate and effects, in full satisfaction of all claims they as being my daughters might, could or would have had in my said Estate after my death, and consequently both of them have been sufficiently benefitted and have no further legal or equitable claim or claims against my said Estate and effects.
3. I appoint my nephew KENNETH AINSLEY LOGAN of Durban, in the Province of Natal, to be the Executor of this my Will, granting unto him all such powers as are allowed in law and especially the power of assumption.
4. I direct that my said Executor shall not be required to find security before entering upon the administration of my Estate and effects, and to that end I further direct that the Master of the particular Provincial Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa having jurisdiction with regard to my Estate and effects shall not require such security to be furnished.
5. I give, devise and bequeath the whole of my Estate and effects of whatsoever kind and wheresoever situate, movable and immovable, and whether in possession, reversion, remainder or expectancy, nothing excepted, to my wife ANNIE MAUD CARTER (born Gamley) to whom I am married out of community of property.
6. In the event of my said wife predeceasing me I give, devise and bequeath the whole of my said Estate and effects to my nephew the said KENNETH AINSLEY LOGAN.
7. On my death I wish to have a Masonic Service at the most suitable Lodge and my body to be cremated in Durban and my ashes to be put in the Garden of Remembrance.
DATED at DURBAN, in the Province of Natal, this 8th day of MARCH in the year of our Lord one thousand Nine hundred and Fifty One. William Carter
SIGNED PUBLISHED AND DECLARED by the Testator the said WILLIAM CARTER as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other all being present at the same time have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses. 1. D. Lees 2. P. Salmond

The net balance of William's estate of £419.11.4 was paid to his widow. ^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp
   GRO Birth Index
   CARTER, WILLIAM Mother's maiden name TROMAN
   GRO Reference: 1875 D Quarter in WEST BROMWICH Volume 06B Page 751
2. ↑ 1881 census RG11/2839 10 Pgs 13 & 14
3. ↑ Find My Past - Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Passenger Lists, 1800-1948
4. ↑ Ancestry.com. UK, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
5. ↑ Marriage certificate from GRO
   GRO Marriage Index – Dec Qtr 1897/Stourbridge 6c 249
6. ↑ 1901 census RG13/2818 56 Pg 11
7. ↑ Family knowledge
8. ↑ "South Africa, Church of the Province of South Africa, Parish Registers, 1801-2004," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVS4-CR7M : 16 August 2019), William Carter in entry for Elsie Clark, 09 Feb 1913; citing Baptism, Transvaal, South Africa, p. 62, William Cullen Library, Wits University, Johannesburg.
9. ↑ "South Africa, Pietermaritzburg Estate Files 1846-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLRL-SKS9 : 17 March 2018)
10. ↑ "South Africa, Transvaal, Civil Death, 1869-1954," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7X1R-6J2M : 4 June 2019)
11. ↑ "South Africa, Natal Province, Civil Marriages, 1845-1955," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDCY-4JJ : 10 March 2018)
12. ↑ Photographs of William's Antenuptial Contract, Death Notice, Will, Inventory and Liquidation and Distribution Accounts held at Pietermaritzburg Archive, taken with the assistance of eGGSA