William was born in Dublin in 1844.  The 1881 census records him married to Ann Jane Roberts
and living at 26 Lord Street, Barrow in Furness, Liverpool.  This was an area of shipyards, and
William was a customs officer.  At this time Ann and William had three children.  By March of
1882, at the birth of their fourth child, Henry, the family was living at 1 Crouch Street, in the
district of Everton,  Liverpool.