William and Eliza Woodcock

William Woodcock was the first and only son of Samuel and Betsey Woodcock (nee Close) - they had married on 25th December 1860 in the district of Heydour, Lincoln.

William was born on 17th October 1964 at Dyers End, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.

On 3rd February 1892 he married Eliza Ward in Worksop, Northamptonshire.

They had three sons:

William was a blacksmith and was known as Bill or Uncle Bill.  He trained as a blacksmith with his father, Samuel, and took over the blacksmithy in Gas Lane in 1891 when his father passed away.

For most of William's life in Thorney the family lived at 77 Wisbech Road.

During the First World War William served in the isle of Ely Special Constabulary.

As a Blacksmith he was a member of the Member of Master Farriers and as blacksmith was a significant member of the local community and became a senior member of the Loyal Abbey Lodge of Oddfellows.

William was a sidesman in Thorney Abbey for much of his adult life.  In 1932 William retired, but his wife Eliza sadly passed away in 1933.  

He died on 5th August 1951 in Thorney and is buried in the Abbey churchyard.  There was an obituary in the local Peterborough newspaper.

The 1901 Census records the residents of 77 Wisbech Road, Thorney, Cambridgeshire

Descendants of William and Elizabeth Woodcock (nee Ward)

William and Ruth Woodcock

Alfred and Dorothy Woodcock

Harold and Margaret Woodock