Thomas Carter (1690–1763)

The Right Honourable Thomas Carter
Painting of Thomas Carter by Charles Jervas
Master of the Rolls in Ireland
Monarch	George II
Secretary of State
Personal details
Born	Thomas Carter c. 1690 Hollybrook, Dublin, Ireland
Died	3 September 1763 Rathnally House, near Trim
Resting place	St Patrick's Cathedral, Trim
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Patriot Party
Spouse(s)	Mary Claxton c1700-1780
Relations	(brothers-in-law) James Johnston Richard Parsons Robert Jocelyn (descendants) Frances Villiers Admiral John Carter General George Carter-Campbell Colonel Duncan Carter-Campbell of Possil
Children	Thomas, M.P. 1720- Henry Boyle 1726- Frances Twysden, later Johnston Susan Trotter Mary Carter
Residence	Castlemartin House, Co. Kildare and No. 9 Henrietta Street, Dublin
Alma mater	Trinity College, Dublin
Profession	, Master of the Rolls in Ireland, Secretary of State
Religion	Church of Ireland

Thomas Carter PC (c. 1690–1763) was a politician, a member of parliament, Master of the Rolls in Ireland, Privy Councillor and Secretary of State for Ireland. He was "an able and intriguing man" – Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford.

The Carters were a political family. Thomas Carter, the first to live at Castlemartin which he acquired in 1729, was made Master of the Rolls in Ireland in 1731, which office he had continued to hold until 1754. He was a skilful and experienced parliamentarian and political organiser. A strong, if not often violent Whig, noted for his rudeness and his loathing of English ministerial interference in Irish affairs and his satirical lampooning of political opponents earned him the nickname "Vicious Carter".

During the late 1740s Carter became one of the leaders of the country of Ireland as a member of the Patriot party along with Henry Boyle, speaker of the Irish House of Commons and Anthony Malone, the Prime Sergeant.

He was made Master of the Rolls in 1731 but as one of the parliamentary managers employed by the Lord Lieutenant to ensure that the King's business was passed in the House of Commons, his actions were often maverick. Horace Walpole said of him that he had "Constantly fomented every discontent against the Lord Lieutenants in order to be bought off". Such behaviour was common in 18th century politics where interest was so often for sale. Quite content to "feather his own nest" Carter did not always help his colleagues.