Background
Carteret was born on Jersey, in the Channel Islands, about 1610. He was the son of Elias de Carteret and Elizabeth Dumaresq of Jersey, who both died in 1640.
naval politician colonial administrator
Carteret was born on Jersey, in the Channel Islands, about 1610. He was the son of Elias de Carteret and Elizabeth Dumaresq of Jersey, who both died in 1640.
As a result of his early life at sea, he received little or no formal education, and his embarrassing ignorance was a source of much ridicule in later life.
He became comptroller of the English navy in 1639 and was active on behalf of Charles I. He was named vice-admiral of Jersey and proceeded to harry such Parliamentary ships as came his way. Jersey became a refuge for the Royalists who had fled from England, including Prince Charles, later Charles II. In 1651 Carteret was forced to surrender the island to the Parliament and fled to France, where he served as a viceadmiral in the French navy. In 1660, at the Restoration, he returned to England with Charles II. He served as treasurer of the navy from 1661 to 1667. He was one of the eight proprietors to whom Charles II granted the colony of Carolina in 1663; and in 1664 James, Duke of York, later James II, granted him and Lord Berkeley the American territory between the Hudson and Delaware rivers. He served as deputy treasurer of Ireland from 1667 to 1673 and sold his share of the New Jersey grant in 1674. From 1668 to 1672 he was a commissioner of the board of trade, which dealt with colonial affairs, and a commissioner for the navy from 1673 to 1679. Carteret died in London, January 14, 1680.
He was a member of Parliament for Portsmouth.
In the Chapel of Mont Orgueil Castle, May 1640, George Carteret married his cousin Elizabeth de Carteret, daughter of Philippe de Carteret II, 3rd Seigneur de Sark. They had three sons.
