What is a carter please? COMPLETED THANK YOU

[Evie]

Hi

It was the 1851 census when he was a carter.

Evie

Added - also in 1863 when his daughter was married.

[stanmapstone]

I agree, it all depends on what you mean by a 'carter'? He was not necessarily some one who drove what is normally known a cart, it could be any wheeled vehicle, but a cart, wagon, dray etc. are specific types of vehicle.
The usual term in country districts was a Carter, or a Carrier if he conveyed passengers.
There was also a Carman who drove a horse drawn vehicle, usually in towns, collecting and delivering goods. A Bonded Carman was employed by a cartage contractor in conveying dutiable goods from/to a bonded warehouse.

Stan

[daval57]

In the 50s, in that area, there were two main industries.
As you said yourself Evie.  Mill workers.
There were also brickworks - ties in with what Steve mentioned earlier.

In both industries you would have carters.

Sorry Evie,
no answer in amongst all this that helps you.
 

[Evie]

Well believe it or not with everyone's comments it does make you think laterally. It made me look at his neighbours, I didn't know there were brickworks there either and as Steve said I never thought they would be carting bricks about. Never thought about that really, coming from a rural area all I thought about was crops etc. I know very narrow minded

So thank you all, I can be more open minded in the 1861 census.

Evie

[brawd houdini]

Hello everybody,

Sorry I came across this late and I know it's completed but I think that nobody has completely answered this question.Carters fulfilled very important functions in 17th. Century life which is another reason for bringing this up.

I have 2 Carters in my family,and their basic function was transportation of goods.But [as in my case] they were also meat curers and butchers and
slaughtermen.They dealt not just with their own goods but also other people's
[presumably on a commission basis].They were the forerunners of banks in that they transported not only their own profits but also carried money for others.

The history of one of my carters is quite well documented.He slaughtered,butchered and cured his own animals as well as other people's.He would set off for the mining communities of South Wales on a Tuesday usually,arriving having made an overnight stop late on Wednesday.Thursday would be spent conducting business.Friday and Saturday would be spent traveling back.Of course no work would be done on the Sabbath.I don't think he could have made this journey weekly but it would be very frequent.He carried not just meat but also butter,eggs and whatever else was in demand.

He would return carrying not just profits belonging to him and others but also the wages for Cardiganshire miners who were employed in the South Wales coalfields whilst their families remained at home in Cardiganshire.Quite often this was the only money coming in to these families.

So as you can see they fulfilled an important function and were not just hauliers.

Hope this helps,brawd houdini

[daval57]

Very interesting reply.
My grandfather, siblings and some children were butchers / master butchers,
Previous generation from Ireland - carters.
I'll look into this more.

thank you brawd houdini

hope yer no taking family pride a wee bit far?

Dave

[brawd houdini]

Hello again Dave,

Well there's nothing wrong with a wee bit of family pride but sometimes I admit it's difficult to keep it in check.There's nothing like a wee bit of humility sometimes either!

Please don't be offended by my use of 'wee',it's meant in the same humour as it was given.

Regards,David

[Evie]

Hi Brawd Houdini

Thank you for your reply, goodness I didn't realise carting involved so much. Very interesting.

Evie

[brawd houdini]

    My pleasure,Evie,hope it all helps.

    Regards,David