William Anderson was born in the Shetland Islands, Scotland. He was brought up on his fathers farm but went to sea when he was 15 years of age.

William left his ship in Melbourne and went to the Victorian gold diggings.

William moved to New Zealand and settled in Otago.

Mr Anderson appears in the official census as a gold miner living in the Kawarau Gorge.

The census records for 1875 record Mr W Anderson as a gold miner living in Pipeclay Gully. He may have been in dwelling #416 in North Road.

on 6 Jan 1876 Mr William Anderson married Miss Anderina Thompson, daughter of James and Mary Thompson of Bannockburn. The service was conducted by the Rev. Benjamin Drake in his dwelling house in Cromwell. The witnesses were Mr & Mrs James Thompson and Mr Gideon Anderson of Bannockburn. (Gideon was James brother). The Thompsons were originally from Lerwick in the Shetland Islands.

Somewhere during this time William Anderson may have built dwelling #92. The house stood empty and without a roof for four years, possibly due to lack of funds.

in 1885, William was appointed as a Director of the Pipeclay Channel Company

William Anderson reports in the Cromwell Argus that the Pipeclay channel was completed at enormous expense.

William listed in Stones directory as Manager of Pipeclay Channel Company.

William Anderson and Mr A Ridland opened c coal pit, named by Andrew Ridland as the Cairnmuir Coal Pit. This was on a seam of coal at its southern extremity in Bannockburn Creek. The seam had first been discovered in 1864 by Donald McColl, Tom White and Frank Phillips.

William Anderson and (?) Parcell operate the Cairnmuir Coal Pit.

William Anderson formed a partnership with Jacob Crow in his Cairnmuir coal pit. The partnership continued until 1901.

Mr Jacob Crow left he partnership and went to work at the Bullendale gold mine in Skippers. William continued to work the coal pit.

Due to the downturn in the gold dredging industry, the coal trade was suffering. William Anderson's pit was closed.

On 30 Jan 1911, Mr Wiliam Anderson died at the age of 82 years. he is buried in the Cromwell cemetery.

Gideon Anderson (1) was Williams brother. Maggie Anderson was the postmistress in Bannockburn from 1903-1911 During his lifetime William was a gold miner, coal miner, sludge channel operator/manager, coal pit proprietor, and possibly a dredge proprietor.