'Old Bill', as he was affectionately known, was born at Aspatria in 1817. A former agricultural worker, he became a railway employee with the Maryport & Carlisle Railway Company in about 1850. His antics were first brought to the attention of a wider public in October 1863, when he became the subject of a comical sketch at a local concert. During the Music Hall rendition, the Brothers Bouch presented a self-penned song entitled, 'Bill, the Railway Porter'. A performance often repeated by popular demand at the season of penny readings performed throughout the 1860s. Unfortunately the lyrics no longer exist, only the joke remains as a curt reminder.