William Timbers was born in Sco Ruston around 1862 and was the son of John Timbers (1838) and Mary Buck. In 1871 he was living in Common Lane, Tunstead. In 1881 he was living at 2 Topham Terrace in West Ham, working as a railway porter. In 1891 he was a railway signalman and living at 94 Wellington Road, West Ham. In 1901 he was working as a railway signalman and living at 50 Wellington Road. He married a woman called Cecilia around 1885.