Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 1.djvu/337

 

 CARPENTER, ROBERT (1830–1901), cricketer, was born at Mill Road, Cambridge, on 18 Nov. 1830. His elder brother George (1818-1849), a butcher, played cricket for the Cambridge town club about 1839. Originally a bootcloser by trade, Robert early became a professional cricketer in a humble way, having engagements at Godmanchester (1854), at Ipswich (1855-7), at Birkenhead (1858), and at Marlborough College (1859-60). Subsequently at Cambridge, where he was known as the 'Old Gardener,' he was custodian of Parker's Piece, a position which he resigned on 9 Nov. 1881. Carpenter appeared late in first-class cricket, first taking part in it in June 1858, when he scored 45 for the United XI against the All England XI at Lord's. His performance brought him immediate fame. The following year he first appeared for the Players v. Gentlemen, and played for them in eighteen matches from 1859 to 1873; his chief scores were 119 in 1860 and 106 in 1861 at Kennington Oval. In the famous match between Surrey and England in 1862, when John Lilly white no-balled Willsher for illegal bowling, Carpenter scored 94. Other noteworthy performances were 100 for Cambridgeshire v. Surrey at Kennington Oval in 1861 and 134 for the All England XI v. Yorkshire at Sheffield in July 1865. Carpenter's name is especially associated with that of Tom Hayward (1835-1876), also of Cambridgeshire. They were the two best batsmen in England for a few seasons from 1860, and with the bowler George Tarrant (1838-1870) raised Cambridgeshire for several seasons to a leading position among cricketing counties. They went together to America in 1859 with the English XI, and to Australia in George Parr's team in the winter of 1863-4. Through the greater part of his career Carpenter toured with the United XI throughout the country, playing against local teams of 18 or 22 players.

Carpenter, a strong man of medium height, batted in elegant style, standing up at the wicket 'to his full height in a commanding attitude like a man' ( Cricketana, p. 237). He was the champion back player of the nineteenth century, a fine lofty square leg hitter, and a brilliant fieldsman at point.

He died on 13 July 1901 at his home in Cambridge. He was married. One of his sons, Harry Carpenter (b. 1869), is the Essex batsman.

 CARTE, RICHARD D'OYLY (1844–1901), promoter of English opera, born on 3 May 1844 in Greek Street, Soho, was elder son, in a family of six children, of Richard Carte by his wife Eliza, daughter of the Rev. Thomas Jones of the Chapel Royal, Whitehall, who traced her descent to the D'Oyly family. The father, a well-known flautist, was a partner in the firm of Rudall, Carte & Co., of Berners Street, London, army musical instrument makers, and the founder of the 'Musical Directory.' Carte's grandfather, also Richard, served at Waterloo as quartermaster of the Blues. The Carte family, originally of Leicestershire, claimed Norman origin.

At the age of twelve Richard went to University College, where he remained for four years. Having matriculated at London University in 1861, he entered his father's business. In his leisure hours he studied music and composed with some success one-act operettas. Among these were 'Dr. Ambrosius his Secret,' which was produced at St. George's Hall (Aug. 1868), and 'Marie,' which was produced at the Opera Comique (Aug. 1871). Leaving his father's firm during 1870, he set up as a concert agent in Craig's Court. His first clients included Mario, whose farewell tour in 1870 he organised. The agency proved a permanent success, and later under its auspices Archibald Forbes, Oscar Wilde, Sir Henry Morton Stanley, and many others made popular lecture tours. Meanwhile, theatrical management absorbed most of Carte's energies. In 1875 he was manager for Selina Dolaro, who played 'La Perichole' at the Royalty Theatre. By way of successor D'Oyly Carte produced on 25 March 1875 'Trial by Jury,' a comic opera by (Sir) Arthur Sullivan [q. v. Suppl. I] and (Sir) William Schwenck Gilbert [q. v. Suppl. II]. Owing to the success of this piece Carte formed a small syndicate of music publishers and private capitalists to rent the Opera Comique theatre for the presentation of other light operas by the same author and 