William Oakshott advertised in the Photographers section of the 1859 Southampton Directory. There were 2 men by the name of William Oakshott living in Southampton at the time, father and son. Both gave their occupation as corn dealer for the 1861 census. William Oakshott junior was married with 2 young children, and may have taken up commercial photography when its popularity was growing fast in the late 1850s, and then returned to corn dealing.