 William commenced his tannery business in Grenfell Street in 1839, with a fellmongering facility at Adam Street, Hindmarsh.He had moved by 1868 to Thebarton
His was the first major tannery, ahead of both Dench & Co. and G. W. Bean, and the first to export acacia bark.The Adam Street property was sold in July 1903 to fellmongers Michell and Sons.