People: Carter, Oliver

Sex

Male

Marital Status

Married

Spouse Name

First wife - Emma; second wife - Alice

Occupation Status

Clerk; fellow of Manchester College

Literacy

Yes - graduate

Remarks

CCEd person ID 22503

Career: Oliver Carter was from Richmondshire, parts of which were in Yorkshire and parts in north Lancashire. He graduated from St John’s College Cambridge with a BA in 1560, MA in 1563 and as a Bachelor of Divinity in 1569, having been appointed one of the College preachers in 1565 and a University preacher in 1567. After parish appointments near Cambridge, he became a Fellow of Manchester College by 1573, where he remained until his death in 1605. In 1578 was appointed by the bishop of Chester as one of the moderators of the Manchester monthly lecture, an institution associated with evangelical Protestantism.

Further notes: 

Manchester College suffered from serious financial problems following its dissolution under Edward VI and restoration under Mary and so was re-founded by Elizabeth in 1578. Carter was, however, himself beset by financial difficulties being obliged to borrow money and to sue the College for unpaid stipend. He thus took on extra work such as tutoring and drawing up wills which distracted from his work as an evangelical.

Henry, earl of Derby was a patron, and he dedicated his 1579 book refuting some Catholic claims to the earl and also preached to the earl and his household. His evangelical views are also evidenced by his presentation to the church authorities for refusing to wear a surplice and his opposition to use of the organ in services. 

Sources:

F. R. Raines, The fellows of the collegiate church of Manchester, ed. F. Renaud, vol. 1, Chetham Society, new series, 21 (1891).

“Carter, Oliver”. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/4795

Causes

EDC 5/1580/10 – commissioned to examine witnesses in Manchester