 Here though, he came under the influence of Charles Nelson of Pitcox, who extended his interests from plant life to birds, William also taking a keen interest in sculpting birds from wood from this time.During this time he was educated at the Free Kirk School in East Linton.William also spent some later years with his uncle at Buckstone Farm near Mortonhall, Edinburgh (the farm now giving rise to the name of one of Edinburgh's suburbs).