The Family Bible of Grace Carter (Mother) records date of Birth 30 Dec 1797 the records within the IGI show 1 Jan 1798
Started his Apprenticeship aged 9 at Sea. Sailed between Rivers Tyne and Thames for 62 years until he retired aged 71
Apprenticed to the Sea at the tender age of 9 and for the next 62 years sailed between the Tyne and the Thames, for 39 of these years he Commanded the 'Waterhouse'
Registered as a Master Mariner aged 52 living Military Road, South Shields with his wife Elizabeth aged 49: children: John 24 Shipwright, Elizabeth 19, William 14 Mariner & Robert 11 Scholar
Registered as the Master of the Sailing Ship 'Liberty' aged 62 Belfast Wharf, Greenhithe, Kent; Crew: James C. Carter (Son) aged 30 Mate, Richard Livingstone aged 46 Cook, William Carter (Son) aged 25 Able Seamen
Captain William Carter was interned in the Cemetery Westoe Lane, South Shields, one of the oldest and most skillful Shipmaster's belonging to the Port.
EXTRACT from 'NEWCASTLE COURANT' of 18th May 1877
WILLS AND BEQUESTS
Funeral of Capt. Carter of South Shields. Yesterday, those were interned in the Cemetery, Westoe Lane, South Shields, the remains of Capt. Wm Carter, one of the oldest and most skilful shipmasters belonging to the Port.
Capt. Carter was 78 years of age. He was apprenticed to the sea at the tender age of nine, and for the long period of 62 years he sailed between the Tyne and the Thames.
He however, retired from his arduous and hazardous avocation about seven years ago, and passed the remainder of his life in South Shields.
For 39 years he commanded the Waterhouse, a vessel which was lost after being afloat for about 60 years.
Captain Carter was a grant nephew of Capt. James Cook, the circumnavigator of the world, by his sister Margaret Fleck nee Cook and he had several interesting mementoes of Capt. Cook – notably a chart, published by him, of the St. Lawrence after he surveyed it for the Admiralty previous to the American War of Independence; some leaves of his Log Book, from which he compiled his voyages etc.
