William was born Wednesday, 24 July 1850 at Ampthill Square, Somers Town, St Pancras, London, Middlesex, United Kingdom, eldest son of William John Brown and Frances Eleanor nee Hall), his wife.

William arrived at Sydney, New South Wales on Saturday, 13 January 1855 on board “Bangalore”.

William married Marion Maud Jones on Monday, 20 March 1876 at St. Clement’s Church of England, Yass, New South Wales, Australia and was father to Annie Elizabeth May ‘Bessie’ (born Friday, 27 April 1877, died Monday, 27 May 1946), Lena Frances May (born Tuesday, 24 September 1878, died Saturday, 6 March 1971 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, William Cecil McIntosh (born Friday, 29 April 1881, died Tuesday, 29 October 1940) , Nesta May (born Tuesday, 10 April 1883, died 1943 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), Roy Rees Broughton (born Thursday, 26 March 1885, died Wednesday, 17 July 1963 at Yeppoon, Queensland, Australia) and Robert Austin (born Tuesday, 19 April 1887, died Friday, 11 November 1887).

William died Thursday, 28 February 1889 at “Wunkoo”, Longside Road, Hamilton, Queensland and was buried the same day in Toowong Cemetery, Toowong, Queensland, Australia.