William Fielder was born in 1798 to Edward and Mary (nee Harris), the fifth of their six children. Records show he was baptised at Beaulieu church on 10th June 1798 indicting an earlier date of birth than that implied by his gravestone. Census records are not consistent either and variously give his dates of birth as 1800, 1803 and  1806. The baptismal record seems the most reliable.

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He married Elizabeth Tinsley in 1822 aged 24 at Boldre Church and they had seven children between 1826 and 1843.

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The Rev Shrubb amended Comyn's notebooks to reflect that William and Elizabeth lived on the site of the property now called Sunnyside in East Boldre close to what is now the Turfcutters Arms. Records indicate they had moved to Boldre Bridge by 1827 and were still there in 1832.

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The 1841 and 1851 censuses show the family had moved to Winchester where William worked as a police constable. The first fully constituted police force in Hampshire was Winchester city police which was founded in 1832. The Hampshire County Constabulary was established in 1839 as a result of the County Police Act  so it seems William was one of Hampshire's first Police constables. Housing was provided for police officers adjacent to the Police station which was next to the gaol where Winchester Prison is still located. The chief constable was William Harris and the superintendent Samuel Everett along with a sergeant and 3 police constables all lived there with their families.

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The 1861 census lists William as a superannuated policeman living with Elizabeth in Beaulieu Rails (E Boldre).

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He died 3 years later and was buried at the chapel by the Rev John Bartlett Burt on 10th Jan 1880 and Elizabeth was the sole executrix of his will.