As a teenager William junior was an apprentice marble worker, and by 1864 (Kelly) he was listed as a "barytes manufacturer" in the nearby village of Cromford.  An 1870 directory (Harrod & Co.) listed him as a "manufacturer of spar, marble and malachite ornaments" back in Matlock.  In mid-1870 he married Louisa Spriggs (born c. 1848 St. John's Wood, London) in London.  The couple appear to have lived for a brief period at Dresden, near Longton in Staffordshire, as that was where their son Cecil William was born later that year.  By the time their second child Mary Louise was born in late 1875, they had moved back to Derbyshire, and Kelly's 1876 directory once again shows William as a spar & marble worker at Matlock dale.

Within the next five years, however, William Potter made a significant career change.  An 1881 directory (Kelly) and the April 1881 census show him as a draper's traveller & photographer, still at Matlock dale, while his wife was working as a "photographer's printer".  A photograph of Chatsworth House by William Potter, taken in the mid- to late 1870s, is included on this page.  William and Louisa then appear to have bought a shop in Matlock Bath, so that the Kelly's direcetory for 1887 and the 1891 Census both list Louisa as being the proprietress of a "fancy repository" at Derwent Parade.  By April 1891, they were living at Dale road in Matlock, and William merely described himself as a photographer.  Their son Cecil was helping in the shop, but sadly he died a year later.

The 1895 Kelly's directory shows William as a photographer with premises at Derwent Parade, and he was living at 5 Clarence terrace.  In addition, he described himself as a house agent, collector to the urban district council and an assistant overseer.  This occupational listing remained in 1899 (Kelly), although their residence had moved to 8 Rock Vale villas.  By the time of the 1901 Census, Louisa was working as a photographic painter.  William Potter continued to work as a photographer from the studio at Derwent Parade until at least 1908 (Kelly), although he did not have a listing in Kelly's 1912 trade directory.