An inquest was held at Plymouth on Monday on Francis Albert Carter, 27, [Royal Garrison Artillery], late of 45 Lang-road, Paignton, auctioneer and valuer. Deceased was visiting his wife, who was staying with friends at St Hilary-terrace, St Jude’s, Plymouth, on the 8th inst., and died suddenly. Dr Ward said death was due to valvular disease of the heart. Deceased had only been in the artillery about three weeks. Deceased… was formerly in business with his brother as a house and estate agent…

[Western Times: Friday 15th December 1916]

Tracing the details of Francis Albert Carter’s life is a bit of a challenge, although the 1911 census records him living at 11 Shirburn Terrace, Torquay, Devon. At 21 years of age, he is noted as having been born in Lezayre, on the Isle of Man. He was living with his mother – the widow Sarah Carter, who was living on independent means – and his brother, 14-year-old Louis, who had been born in Halifax, Yorkshire. Francis was employed as a house agent, while Louis seems to have been his apprentice.

The previous census had recorded the family of three living in Torquay, and confirms that Sarah had been widowed by the time her youngest was four years old.

There is no information about Francis’ marriage, nor any indications as to who his wife might have been.

With regard to his time in the army, it is clear that he enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner in November 1916, and was on a break from his training when he visited his wife and her friends on the day he died.

There is little more detail available for Francis Albert Carter. He was laid to rest in Paignton’s sweeping cemetery, not far from where his mother and brother were still living.

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