In addition to 31 poetry publications, he was also responsible for a range of books covering literary criticism, philosophy, fiction, plays and biography.
He began to write poetry after moving to London and working in the city, first for Deloitte and then Lazard.
His wife Patricia founded the literary journal Acumen in 1985, with William as treasurer and interviews editor.
[1] A limited edition print employing lines from his epic poem, A Map of Time, was chosen by the Department of Cartography at the University of Wisconsin to use, with appropriate illustration, in their Annual Broadsheet for 2002.
After originally settling in London, they moved to Brixham in South Devon with Patricia's mother in 1976.