William Lack (1819-1898) of Martham
William Lack was born in February 1819 in Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich and was baptised on 21st February that year at St Simon & St Jude, Norwich. His father’s full name was Thomas William Franks Lack who, by 1819, was a baker in Norwich. His mother was Ann Harper from Little Snoring, Norfolk. William had three siblings, namely: Thomas, Mary and Frederick.
By the time he was 22, in 1841, he had left home and was living or lodging at Brazen Doors Road, Norwich where he was a warehouseman. When he was 40, he married Emma Rix at East Dereham, Norfolk and before they married Emma had been a draper.
Two years after their marriage William & Emma could be found living at Norwich House, Martham where William was listed as being a grocer and draper. They went on to have two daughters at Martham. They were Emma, who was born on 19th June 1862 and Gertrude who was born in 1866. When they grew up his daughters helped out on the drapery side of the shop along with their mother and it is easy to imagine it being the place to go for the best ladies of Martham society who lived on The Green and round the corner in White Street. They traded there for almost 40 years.
William died on 4th January 1898 and is buried in the graveyard at St Mary the Virgin, section F, plot I2. Emma retired to Repps Road before her death on 4th January 1912 and subsequent burial with her husband.
