[4] Beginning at the age of seven, he was a chorister at St Giles' Church, Camberwell, and he later sang in the choirs of the Chapel Royal and King's College London.
[2] In 1859 William left England for Canada to succeed his brother Henry Carter as organist at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Quebec.
It was possibly the largest Handel festival given in Canada at that point in the nation's history, and featured a performance of Judas Maccabeus among other works by the composer.
[1] His final posts as organist were at St Peter's Church, Belsize Park, and lastly Holy Trinity, Roehampton, where he retired in either 1903 or 1904.
[2] In 1872 his oratorio Placida, the Christian Martyr was given its world premiere at The Crystal Palace with tenor Arthur Byron as one of the featured soloists.