Born on 4 November 1853, fifth child and fourth son of Charles Henry Carter, MRCS 1839, and Jane Barnes, his wife, at Pewsey, Wiltshire, where his father practised. He was educated at Epsom College and went with a scholarship to St Bartholomew's Medical College, also winning, a Jeaffreson exhibition. After serving as house surgeon at the Great (now Royal) Northern Hospital, he practised for a short time at Kettering, Northamptonshire. He returned to London, to Upper Tooting, moving later to Putney, and practised there and in Wandsworth for many years in partnership with Horace Jeaffreson, MRCS 1860; and was appointed assistant surgeon to HM Prison, Wandsworth. He was a member of the Clinical Society. Carter married on 14 October 1886 Isabella Mary Cartwright, who died before him. He died at 117 Upper Richmond Road, Putney, SW15, on 25 November 1942, aged 89, survived by a son, Frederick Graham Carter, and a daughter, and was buried at Putney Vale. He was the second eldest Fellow of the College, as George Andrew, who took the Fellowship in 1879, outlived him.