William James Hornby is first recorded at 304 City Road before removing to 14 Soho Square, Soho in 1884 where he was listed in 1899 as manufacturing goldsmith and in 1900 as a silversmith and pencil case maker. From 1900 he moved to Heddon Street, Regent Street. He died in 1914 but the business was continued by Henry Hill under the same style.