William Joseph Gomersall (WJ) was the eldest son of William and Agnes Gomersall. Born 7th November 1855 at Hill House, Otterburn. He was educated privately until the age of 10 and then at Giggleswick Grammar School where along with his brothers Hubert and Frederick he was a weekly border. When he was 16 he went to Wakefield Grammar School and on leaving was awarded the 'head boy's' prize and the 'Storie exhibition'. He left at age 19 for St. Edmund's College, Oxford where he read Theology and Modern History and obtained a class 3 Honours in Classical Moderations.

In the Autumn of 1878 he went as a tutor to a private school in Hampstead and then from 1879 to 1881 was a senior tutor at a private school in Brighton where he met his wife to be, Fanny Woods. After they were married, they started a preparatory school together in Hampstead.

In 1885, he won the 'Munro' scholarship to the Presbyterian Theological College, from which he graduated in 1889. For several years thereafter he preached around the country, as well as keeping school. In 1899 he co-edited 'Schillings Spanish Grammar for English Students' and partly in recognition of this work, was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1901
He also founded and ran the 'Eligible Social Circle' for middle class singles to meet at Whist Drives, Dances, Country Walks etc. and it became so popular that it achieved a membership of over 500.
In 1910, WJ was Ordained into the Church of England in St. Paul's Cathedral when he was made Curate of Holy Trinity Church, Finchley Rd. Hampstead, London and afterwards temporary chaplain to the Life Guards. By 1913 he was Curate of St. John's Church, Kensal Green.
In one of his scrapbooks he wrote, " One of Life's red letter days - On August 13th 1911, I had the pleasure and privilege of preaching in the Kirkby Malham Parish Church. Mr Morrison read the lessons. The parishioners did me the signal honour of 'turning out' en masse. Mr Morrison left the 'brace' in the vestry, addressed as above." ['6 brace shot August 12th/11. Rev. Gomersall. With W. Morrison Esq. Compliments.']

From an early age he aspired to be a poet and many of his 'outpourings' were published in the Craven Herald. Harry Speight was sufficiently impressed by his work to quote his poem 'To a Buttercup' in his local history 'Craven and the North-West Yorkshire Highlands' published in 1892.

In 1901, three of his poems (Stanzas in Memory of John Ruskin, Dreyfus and Love's Lament, were included in 'Gems of Poesy' and in 1911 in 'Pearls of Poesy' was included Otterburn-in-Craven, Yorkshire. Both works were edited by Chas. F. Forshaw Litt.D. LL.D.

WJ also wrote a pamphlet entitled 'Airton in Malhamdale - and other local contributions in prose and verse' published in 1914 with poems entitled 'Airton'; 'Otterburn'; 'Eshton'; Coniston Cold; Malham' and 'Kirkby-in-Malhamdale'.