EDGOOSE:
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RACEY, William Thomas
1871 - 1951 (79 years) Has 4 ancestors and 3 descendants in this family tree.
1853 - 1944 (91 years)-
Name RACEY, William Thomas Birth 13 Mar 1871 Emneth, Norfolk, England 
Gender Male Death 26 Jan 1951 Terrington St. John, Norfolk, England Person ID I558 Edgoose Last Modified 5 Feb 2026
Father RACEY, William, b. 1850, Emneth, Norfolk, England d. 3 Apr 1916, Emneth, Norfolk, England (Age 66 years) Mother BOWLES, Mary Ann, b. 22 Feb 1853, West Walton, Norfolk d. 2 Dec 1944, Emneth, Norfolk, England (Age 91 years) Marriage 1871 Wisbech Registration District, Cambridgeshire Family ID F393 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 SOUTH, Lilian Maud, b. 1887, Wisbech Registration District, Cambridgeshire d. 27 Jan 1956, Terrington St. John, Norfolk, England (Age 69 years) Marriage Sep 1907 Wisbech Registration District, Cambridgeshire Family ID F134 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
Family 2 EDGOOSE, Lucinda, b. 12 May 1871, West Walton, Norfolk d. 24 Jan 1907, Emneth, Norfolk, England (Age 35 years) Marriage 26 Dec 1893 West Walton, Norfolk Children 1. RACEY, Gladys Miriam, b. 9 Dec 1897, Emneth, Norfolk, England d. 1978, Spilsby Registration District, Lincolnshire (Age 80 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]2. RACEY, Aubrey William, b. Jun 1899, Emneth, Norfolk, England d. 1968, Wisbech Registration District, Cambridgeshire (Age 68 years)Family ID F366 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
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Event Map 
Marriage - 26 Dec 1893 - West Walton, Norfolk 
= Link to Google Earth
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Notes
WILLIAM THOMAS RACEY 1871-1951
William Thomas RACEY was born at Emneth, Norfolk, on 13 March 1871, son of William and Mary Ann RACEY.
(source: oddjobfamily@hotmail.com)
(GRO March Q 1871 Wisbeach 3b 671)
The 1891 census of The Post Office, Emneth, Norfolk:
William RACEY, head, aged 41, baker, born at Emneth;
Mary A. RACEY, wife, aged 38, born at West Walton, Norfolk;
*William T. RACEY, son, aged 20, assistant baker, born at Emneth;
Frederick J. RACEY, son, aged 16, scholar, born at Emneth;
Walter H. RACEY, son, aged 13, scholar, born at Emneth;
Elizabeth M. RACEY, daughter, aged 11, scholar, born at Emneth;
Rose M. RACEY, daughter, aged 9, scholar, born at Emneth;
Ernest RACEY, son, aged 2, born at Emneth;
Grace RACEY, daughter, aged 9 months, born at Emneth;
Sarah A. GARWOOD, servant, aged 20, single, general servant, born at Haverhill, Suffolk;
Lucinda EDGOOSE, servant, aged 19, single, domestic servant, born at West Walton.
(RG12/1308/77/1)
William Thomas RACEY, an Emneth baker, married Lucinda EDGOOSE at West Walton, Norfolk, on 26 December 1893. James Lewin EDGOOSE and Elizabeth Maud RACEY were witnesses.
The 1901 census of Newfield, Emneth, Norfolk:
William T. RACEY, head, aged 30, grocer & baker "own account working at home", born at Emneth;
*Lucinda RACEY, wife, aged 29, born at West Walton, Norfolk;
Gladys M. RACEY, daughter, aged 3, born at Emneth;
Aubrey RACEY, son, aged 2, born at Emneth;
Florence E. DYE, servant, aged 18, single, housemaid domestic, place of birth unknown.
(RG13/1560/6/4/20)
His wife Lucinda died aged 35 at Emneth of 'carcinoma of the oesophagus 1 year' and exhaustion on 24 January 1907.
(GRO March Q 1907 Wisbech 3b 419)
She was buried in the graveyard at Emneth, Norfolk, on 31 January 1907.
In August 2004 his granddaughter Gillian BECKETT formerly RACEY wrote that he remarried in September 1907 to a Lillian SOUTH and moved to Terrington St. John, Norfolk.
His marriage to a Lilian (sic) Maud SOUTH was registered in 1907.
(GRO September Q 1907 Wisbech 3b 1311)
The 1911 census of the Post Office, Emneth, Norfolk:
*William Tho. RACEY, head, aged 40, grocer and baker, employer at home, born at Emneth, Norfolk;
Lilian Maud RACEY, wife, aged 24, married 3 years, 0 children, assistant in business (?), born at Wisbech, Cambs;
Gladys Miriam RACEY, daughter, aged 13, born at Emneth, Norfolk;
Aubrey William RACEY, son, aged 12, born at Emneth, Norfolk;
Rose Beatrice HURST, servant, aged 21, single, female domestic, born at Emneth, Norfolk;
*Halbert EDGOOSE, nephew, aged 20, single, shop assistant, born at West Walton.
(RG14/9325)
In about 1925 he deserted his wife Lilian and ran off with their maid and a considerable sum of money, with the result that she was forced to move from the matrimonial home into a tiny cottage. The scandal he created was reported in the local newspaper. Later, she granted her husband's request to return and supported him financially using her sewing skills. She was an expert tailoress and took orders from all over the country.
(Contributed by petegill, compliers of the Farrow/Lawrence tree on Ancestry)
He died at School Road, Terrington St. John, Norfolk, on 26 January 1951. He was described as a 79 year old retired master baker. The informant was his daughter G. M. BURTON of 33 Mount Avenue, Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
(revised 24.03.2025)