William was the son of William Coutts (Gold & Silver engraver and former solider from Haddingtonshire, Scotland) and Minnie Trainor from Ireland. His parents married in 1902 and he had a younger brother, Neville, born 1908. 

In early 1912 William emigrated to the US and raised enough funds to book second class passage for his family to join him. Minnie booked third class berths on Titanic to save money. 

The family could find no way to gain access to the boat deck and were on the verge of giving up hope when a crewman spotted them and said "Hurry now, all women and children to the lifeboats..." and led the family to the boat deck. William escaped with his brother and mother on lifeboat two and they were reunited with William senior in Brooklyn.

William worked as a professional musician and also as a credit manager for Rubber Products

Co. of Pittsburgh. Extraordinarily, he was held at gunpoint six times over the course of his lifetime.