Lives in Cricket No 51 - Rev ES Carter

First-class matches 83 event Carter found himself playing alongside another Yorkshire clergyman, the Reverend William Law who had been an IZ member for some years. But Carter did become an IZ member the next year, 1883, maybe as thanks from that club from playing in this fixture. He became the first player from his old school, Durham, to play for IZ. Carter must, when playing this match, have been very sure that he would not be chosen (or choose himself) for Yorkshire again in a fixture against I Zingari for the then Rule 8 of the I Zingari Club said in block capitals: “THAT NO MEMBER UPON ANY OCCASION SHALL PLAY AS AN OPPONENT TO I ZINGARI EXCEPT WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE GOVERNOR IN VERY SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. ANY TRANSGRESSION OF THIS RULE TO ENTAIL IMMEDIATE EXPULSION FROM THE CLUB.” The rule at times must have caused great difficulty but it was not revoked until 1970. Of course it may have been thought that if he played as a guest rather than a member, he would not have been at risk of breaching the rule. The association with Lord Londesborough, who had been created an earl in 1887, continued up to Londesborough’s death in 1900. In 1886 Carter was chosen by Yorkshire’s past and present cricketers to make a presentation during the Festival at the coming of age of the Honourable W.F. Denison, Lord Londesbrough’s son and heir. In giving a beautifully engraved silver claret jug and illuminated address to the young man Carter took the opportunity to give effusive thanks to the noble lord for his liberality and generosity to Yorkshire and Scarborough cricket. The friendship between the earl and the clergyman was greatly to the benefit of all Yorkshire cricket.