William Norris was born on 28 April 1862 at Menangle near Camden, the youngest child of William Norris and Mary Anne Lucas. Early in his life he moved to Bundanoon in the Southern Highlands of NSW where he was employed as a railway labourer.

It was while at Bundanoon that William met his future wife, Arabella Letitia Lenton. Arabella was born in 1869, the daughter of William Lenton and Arabella Lynam. She was a school teacher and was appointed as teacher in charge of the Aylmerton Public School, near Mittagong, in January 1890.

On 1 October 1890, William and Arabella were married in the house of a Mr. Henry James Lee in Cary Street, Marrickville, according to the rites of the Church of Christ, before Charles Watt, officiating minister.

After their marriage, they resided in Mittagong where William continued on as a railway labourer. According to the "Aylmerton Public School Centenary 1882-1982" commemorative book, Arabella remained in charge of the school until March 1895. During that time she gave birth to two children, Gladys Annie (born 17 July 1892) and Leslie William (born 17 July 1893). Amongst her pupils at Aylmerton was Richard William Summers, son of Richard Summers and Emily Elizabeth Norris, William's sister.

William and Arabella's third child, Enid, was born in 1900, perhaps at Awaba, south of Newcastle since by 1903, according to the Electoral Roll, William and Arabella had moved to Awaba where William was employed as a labourer, while Arabella had apparently retired from teaching. The family moved again soon after to Wallendbeen where their fourth child John Lynam was born on 27 October 1907. The 1909 Electoral Roll lists William and Arabella at Wallendbeen.

William and Arabella next moved to Sydney where William was employed as a labourer in the export trade. The 1913 Electoral Roll records their address as 14 Fairmont Street, Summer Hill. However on 19 June 1915, William died at his residence "Primrose" in Carlton Crescent, Summer Hill, aged 53 years. The cause of death was Heart Disease from which he had suffered for ten years. William was buried on 21 January 1915 in the Church of England Cemetery, Rookwood.

Arabella survived her husband by many years. After her husbands death she moved to 71 Sloane Street Haberfield and later to 1 Hampstead Road, Dulwich Hill, with her son John Lynam Norris. She died suddenly on 13 April 1951 at 14 Durham Street, Dulwich Hill, and was buried with her husband in the Church of England Cemetery Rookwood.