Following the deaths of the three youngest of his siblings, between 1853 and 1856, a gap appears. Sometime between 1856 and 1867, the familys' whereabouts are a bit of a mystery. As yet I cannot locate them on the 1861 census for Sheffield but I believe the family moved to Neepsend, mainly based on an insurance claim filed by his father James, for losses in the flood of 1864.

William reappears, in his own right, in 1867, when he marries Birmingham born Eliza Ratcliff, at Christ Church, Pitsmoor on 24 Feb 1867.

In 1871 they were living at Woodland View in Stannington with his parents and brother Charles lodging with them.

William and Eliza produced ten children between them. They were Mary Jane (June1867-June1873), Louisa (Eliza)(1869-1950+), Charles (1870-1905), John (1872-1950+), Elizabeth (1874-1894+), Harry (Dec 1877- 1915), Mary Ann (1880-1901+), George (1882-1901+) and twins William (1884-1933) and James (1884-1885) who died a year later on 23 June 1885.

By 1881 they had moved over to Walkley, to 32 Harworth Street.

Williams’s wife Eliza died on 30 Mar 1887, age 39 and is buried in St Mary’s Cemetery in Walkley.

By 1891, widower William and the children were living at the home of his daughter Louisa, and her husband Walter Ibberson at 115 Fulton Road, Sheffield.

At the time of his death in March 1899, age 52, William was living at 17 Jenkinson Street in Sheffield. He is also buried in Walkley Cemetery.