Mr William French is thought to have been a native of Hertfordshire England born about 1821.
It is also thought William might have arrived in Port Phillip sometime between 1848 to 1854 on the vessel ‘Truro’.
The French family lived on Adderley Street between Hawke & Abbotsford streets in West Melbourne in 1870, according to Sands & McDougal directory. In 1865 the French family were living at Byron Street Hotham.
William French, a Master Bricklayer by trade became a successful builder during his life in Melbourne.
Significant building works carried out by William French are listed below.
The table below can be scrolled left to right if viewed on a mobile device.
| Building ID | Location | Owner | Suburb | Building State | Building Type | Builder | Build Date (YYYY MM DD) | Melbourne Council Notice of Intention to Build number |
| 72612 | cottage at Adderley St – near Hawke | French, William – Byron St – Hotham | West Melbourne | VIC | Houses | French, William | 1865 11 6 | 1181 |
| 72638 | building cnr Adderley & Abbotsford | French, W | West Melbourne | VIC | Buildings | French, W | 1867 02 5 | 1869 |
| 72708 | cottage on Adderley St | French, William | West Melbourne | VIC | Houses | French, William | 1870 05 2 | 3893 |
| 72778 | two houses cnr Adderley & Abbotsford St | French, W | West Melbourne | VIC | Houses | French, W | 1875 01 26 | 6211 |
| 72634 | two story house on Abbotsford St | French, William | West Melbourne | VIC | Houses | French, William – Adderley St | 1885 08 20 | 1681 |
| 71137 | two two story houses on Railway Place | French, William | West Melbourne | VIC | Houses | French, Wiliiam – Adderley St West Melb. | 1887 04 5 | 2728 |
| 71140 | two houses on Railway Place | French, William | West Melbourne | VIC | Houses | French, W R – 103 Haines St Hotham Hill | 1892 04 14 | 5432 |
Table source: https://www.mileslewis.net/australian-architectural/
Main source: Public Records Office of Victoria, BDM Victoria and the Melbourne edition of the Sands & McDougall directoy.