Born at Gravesend on 14 February 1873 he was educated at University College Hospital medical school and served as senior obstetric assistant in the Hospital. He travelled as a ship's surgeon, served as senior house surgeon at Halifax Royal Infirmary, and then settled at Leicester. Here he was house surgeon to C J Bond in the Royal Infirmary (1901), and was appointed to the surgical staff in 1906, becoming senior surgeon in 1930, and consulting surgeon on his retirement in 1932. He had been chairman of the medical staff committee, and was a governor of the Infirmary 1932-48. He was local secretary with Astley V Clarke for the British Medical Association annual meeting of 1905 at Leicester, and during the war of 1914-18 served in the RAMC at the 5th Northern General Hospital in University College, Leicester. He died at Leicester on 5 Feb 1955, aged 81, survived by his wife, three daughters and a son, J F Bolton Carter FRCS, who also became surgeon at the Royal Infirmary, Leicester. He had been an active supporter of the Fosse Association Football Club and served as Captain and President of the Leicestershire Golf Club; he was also a keen bridge player. His manner was brusque and decisive.