Carter, George – Naughty vicar cited in divorce case

 

 

Rev George Carter (1829-1894)

GEORGE Carter, MA, LLB, DL, JP was Rector of Folkingham for 33 years having previously been curate of Coningsby.

The son of Spalding solicitor J R Carter, he was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

In 1851, he married Elizabeth Henery, daughter of Mr. Thomas Munton Lawrance, of Dunsbv Hall,

For upwards of a quarter of a century he was a magistrate, regarded as particularly astute, and at the Bourne bench he invariably presided the absence Lord Ancaster.

Only the year before his death, he sentenced the two prisoners charged of begging at Aslackby to 14 day s’ imprisonment with hard labour, and third for seven days.

He was Deputy- Lieutenant of Lincolnshire. 1864, and an Income Tax Commisioner.

Though taking no active part in politics, he was a staunch Conservative supporter hunting was favourite pastime.

But his reputation was tarnish by a divorce case in 1874, When Captain Cragg petitioned for divorce from his wife and mother of his five children, Lorena Anne, daughter of the Vicar of Billingborough.

Lucy Adams told the proceedings  she once met Rev Carter and Mrs Cragg. Mr Carter had his arm around Mrs Cragg’s waist.

Henry Pheasant said there was pond near Mrs Cragg’s house, and when the pond was frozen over Rev Carter has been there with Mrs Cragg. The former used to put on Mrs Cragg’s skates. He  had also seen Rev Carter and Mrs Cragg frequently walking, and when Captain Cragg was away with the Militia at Grantham.

John Quince said: “They used to go into a  very wooded place where there was a fox cover.

Sarah Parker said: “Rev Carter and Mrs Cragg skated on pond at Folkingham. I heard Mrs Cragg’s voice behind the hedge, and on looking through saw her on the ground and Rev Carter buttoning his suspenders.”

He died suddenly while in conversation with Miss Rollinson, he suddenly stopped talking, and, placing his hand to his head, as though seized with a fit dizziness, fell backwards, and died almost immediately.

The cause of death was syncope, resulting from a weak heart.