He was born in Wakefield either on 5 April 1844 or on 5 April 1845, the son of a railway contractor and apprenticed to William Fairbairn & Sons of Manchester in 1859. In 1863 he moved to Simpson & Co.
Born in Wakefield, his birthdate is either 5 April 1844 or 5 April 1845, the child of a railway construction company owner and trained with William Fairbairn & Sons in Manchester from 1859. He relocated to Simpson & Co. in 1863.