Lives in Cricket No 51 - Rev ES Carter

at Bramall Lane. Edmund Carter, then aged 37, was to assist that committee from 1882, representing York and Yorkshire Gentlemen, and on an increase of membership from eleven to 16. Aggravation at the Sheffield monopoly had been growing for some time, and that led to a meeting in Leeds in March 1882 when representatives of many clubs away from Sheffield met to discuss tactics. Carter was present and a delegation to meet the Sheffield Committee was proposed. The Sheffield men then offered five further places on their committee to representatives from five other towns, but the requisite towns were not agreed. Carter was not present at that second meeting but was in attendance at a third meeting held in Bradford on 29 April 1882. The Bradford Observer gave a very full account of the discussion and Carter had much to say. “The Rev E.S.CARTER said he should like to know the position of the five gentlemen who would be sent to the Sheffield Committee. What would be their privileges? What would be their right to speak, and what business would they be able to transact? Of course they could not expect to have the control over the money made at Sheffield, although he looked upon that town in the management of county cricket simply as trustee for the rest of Yorkshire. He did not regard the Sheffield organisation as a private company, and unless that was the state of things, he did not see why a committee chosen solely from that one place should have the entire management of the finances. If it was county money and a county ground he thought that representatives from different parts of the county should have a voice in the spending of that money as in the arrangements of matches. The CHAIRMAN (to Mr Carter) Can you get to know about that matter? Mr SHARPE (from Huddersfield) It is a private company. The Rev CARTER said he understood they had £1000 invested and he wished to know whose money it was? The CHAIRMAN Well they will keep it to whom so ever it belongs. Rev CARTER said his question was answered and matters were simplified.” Peate, Hawke, Committee 88