At the age of seven William started work in a pin factory as a hand machine operator and earned one shilling a week  doing ten hour days. Later on he became an apprenticeto aboot and shoemaker by twelve he became a journeyman and got work in ashop in Argyle Street in  Glasgow. a few years later he started his first boot shop and soon after he had another two  shops.

With his new found wealth he was able to marry his Christian faith help him through his early hardships and with the profit from his bussines he turned to help the poor and destitute children.In 1864 a boy who's stock of matches was stolen. Quarrier founded the shoeblack brigade this was followed a news brigade and then a parcels brigade. With this he set hedquarters of the Industrial Brigade in Trongate.

Unfortunely those projects proved to be not as successful as he had hoped and closed down in 1871. Quarrier turned his attenion to the formation of a orpanage home thus becoming Quarrier's Homes. Thanks to this man Quarrier's Homes between 1878 the mid 1980s have cared for over 30,000 children.