In 1696, John Carter wrote his will. Having a strong Christian faith, and conscious of his family’s poor origins, he wrote that, should he and his brother Nathaniel die without children, the income from land he owned in Ormesby and Caister in Norfolk, should be used to provide for his poor kindred in perpetuity.
A history of Great Yarmouth written in 1872, describes the brothers thus: “the memory of their good deeds shall never be extinguished. Both the brothers were like their father, independents, but being men of liberal education they united to their christian characters those accomplishments which fitted them for the society of gentlemen and scholars.”
John and Nathaniel’s father, although born to a poor family, had been a prominent member of the seventeenth century community of Great Yarmouth. He was able to achieve this through support of that community. Like the vast majority of the population of East Anglia, he was a staunch supporter of the Parliamentary side during the civil war (1642 to 1651), and was a friend of Oliver Cromwell.
As a result of the original bequest, the John and Nathaniel Carter Trust has been supporting their kindred for over three hundred years. The original trustees were merchants and business people, very much like John and Nathaniel. The make up of the Trustees has changed over the years, and has included farmers, historians, and professionals. Today’s trustees include a church pastor, the owner of an independent shoe shop, and three business people with a local connection to the Great Yarmouth area.
Grants have been made to any of the kindred who are in financial need, arising from a variety of causes, including unemployment and illness, or for a special need with which the Trust can help. Applicants are asked to provide annually details of their present income and assets by completing a detailed application form. Members of the kindred now live in many places in Great Britain, as well as some in Canada and Australia.
Until the 1970s, the Trust income consisted only of the rental from the farm land. However, the compulsory purchase of part of the land meant the Trust had some funds in stock exchange investments. Then in 2017, after years of negotiations, a part of the land was sold to a developer with the result that the money available for investment was greatly increased.
The trustees decided on an ethical investment policy, avoiding investments in tobacco, oil and other environmentally harmful matters. The increase in the Trust’s income enabled the Trust to provide support to members of the family who were badly affected by the Covid19 pandemic.
The Trust has also been able to invest in information technology, enabling communication with family members via email, and to use electronic banking to distribute grants whenever possible. In looking to the future, the trustees will be actively considering how the assets of the Trust can be used in a manner that reflects the values of John and Nathaniel, as regards both their kindred and the wider community in and around Great Yarmouth.
We hope that this website will be a useful way of communicating with everybody having an interest in the Trust and its activities.