William Edmund Davies (1819–1879) was a bookmaker, who left a sum of money that enabled Brighton Corporation to purchase Preston Park for the public.
His success as a petty bookmaker, who laid the odds in half crowns, was so great that he gave up carpenter's work and became an open-air betting-man in Long Acre, London, and the adjoining streets.
He frequented racecourses, where he joined the throng of ready-money bookmakers outside the ring, generally laying a point or two above the odds obtainable inside.
His customers in London were very numerous, and he originated in 1846 the betting-list system, which was continued until 20 August 1853, when such lists were declared illegal by a special act of parliament.
In 1850, when Lord Zetland's Voltigeur was the favourite, Davies had to pay out nearly £40,000 over his list counter to his humbler clients, who had put their sovereigns on the race.