Harold Edward & Eliza Carter

Research by Joan West

Harold Edward Carter purchased Grymsdyke

Harold Edward Carter born 1871 was the son of Charles & Emma Carter.

Eliza Bayman Graham born ? was the daughter of ?

Harold and Eliza married in ?

14 October 1919   Conveyance

Harold Edward Carter of the City of London, sold to Wilfred Warren of Dawn Cottage, Darvills Hill, Lily Bottom Farm for £1,100.

INDOOR TENNIS COURT. William Robson cleared the land and erected an indoor tennis court, for the personal use of him and his wife.   Measuring 35.5 metres by 61 metres, it was constructed in brick with skylights in the roof.   The wooden floor was ‘sprung’ made of narrow boards to a very high standard and painted green with a special non-slip surface.   Due to their poor health it became unused and fell into disrepair.

HAROLD CARTER had purchased ‘Grymsdyke’ in 1922, the same year that William Robson retired to Cheltenham.   The Tennis Court was purchased from William Robson by Harold Carter.

The Carters lavishly restored the tennis court. They entertained the current Wimbledon stars, many playing on the court.

CONVERTED in WW2

During WW2 Harold Carter transferred his business, Carters Merchants Ltd, an import and export company, from the City of London to the tennis court in Lacey Green.

17 February 1921    Conveyance.

Harold Edward Carter of Grymsdyke, purchased for £2025, 14 cottages, gardens and land from Margaret Emma, Marchioness of Ely, and the Trustees of her Marriage Settlement, inherited from Charles Brown of Stocken Farm.

1922 Harold Carter purchased ‘Grymsdyke’ in 1922.

The Indoor Tennis Court was purchased from William Robson by Harold Carter.

CENSUS 1939 Grymsdyke Mr and Mrs Carter and house and company staff , Mr Boorman, gardener

HAROLD CARTER

Harold Carter purchased the indoor Tennis Court in Church Lane from the Reverend William Robson

WIMBLEDON STARS            

The tennis court was then lavishly restored.   The Carters entertained the current Wimbledon stars, many playing on the court.

CONVERTED in WW2

During WW2 Harold Carter transferred his business, Carters Merchants Ltd, an import and export company, from the City of London to the indoor tennis court in Lacey Green.

REPORT by WINNIE WOOD, later Mrs STAN RIXON

My sister had worked for Carters Merchants Ltd, in the City of London, an import and export company.  The Carter family had already bought Grymsdyke House. Lacey Green.  They also owned the indoor tennis court built by ex-vicar William Robson in Church Lane.  Mr Carter, the chairman of the company, decided to transfer the business to Lacey Green for the duration of the war.  He converted the tennis court into staff accommodation and offices. Dormitories either end for single men and single women, and offices in the middle, also a kitchen and dining room.  It was the end of the building’s prestigious life as a tennis court.

1939 CENSUS

The Tennis Court, c/o H E Carter, 26 employees

MRS CARTER, widow.    research by Laurence Rostron

On the 21^st June 1941 Harold Edward Carter died at Grymsdyke. His will is interesting in that, apart from a relatively small immediate legacy to his wife, he instructed his trustees (who included his wife) to sell his property and hold the proceeds in trust. The trustees are instructed to invest the proceeds and the income from these investments was then to be paid to his wife, Eliza Bayman Carter, for the remainder of her life.  On the death of his wife the remaining proceeds and income would then pass on to his daughter Madeline Foster Cox.

GRACEFIELD

This would appear to explain why Eliza Bayman Carter had to move out of Grimsdyke fairly quickly after the death of Harold Carter and why she rented or leased the Gracefield “estate” in the latter part of 1942.

PURCHASE

There is clear evidence that Eliza Carter purchased the Gracefield “estate” in April 1946 from Lt Col. CC Markes, who, as far as is known, never lived there.

DEATH

May 1949 - Eliza Bayman Carter died at Quinta de Revoredo, Santa Cruz, Madeira at the age of 75.

Notes by researcher Joan West.

In 1937 Eliza Bayman Carter of Grymsdyke, travelled back from Madeira, 1st class on the 'Winchester Castle' with Joyce Waite of Loosley House.

In WW2 Harold Carter was in the Home Guard, click 1940 1st Year of the Home Guard for more