William Bremner was born about 1825 and was baptised in Watten, Caithness, on 11 August 1825.[1]
In 1851 William is recorded on the census as living in Bilbster, in the parish of Watten, Caithness, with his father Alexander and siblings Elizabeth, Alexander Junior, Margaret, Magnus, Christina and Catherine. William's trade was journeyman shoemaker. Also living with the family was another journeyman shoemaker, David Gunn.[2]