William followed in his father's footsteps and joined the familybusiness as a stonemason. It is thought that William took overthe business in 1874 and then it was sold in 1886, as in thatyear he wrote a summary of the works carried out on SalisbuiryCathedral from the year 1819 to 1880. This record was requestedby the then Bishop Moberley. When William died it wasdiscovered the business was not financially sound. This resultedin Sarah and Gertrude having to move out of Exeter Street andinto rooms. Sarah later moved away to Boscombe, possibly 148Haviland Road, as she died in Boscombe in 1907.

The 1881 Census records that William and Sarah employed aDomestic Cook, Emily BARTLEY aged 25 and a Housemaid Emily BROCKaged 17. In addition they had a visitor stying with them,Elizabeth FRICKER aged 51 a retired schoolmistress.

William moved into 113 Exeter Street, sometime after he gotmarried to Sarah and lived there until he died.