Bill was a great historian. He produced an impressive body of work in urban and population history, and in the social histories of medicine and technology. He was a pioneer of environmental history, with his books on pylons and pollution. We had a shared history from Sussex in the ‘70s. I got to know him well as an Associate at the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHSTM) at the University of Manchester. I enjoyed our many conversations and his devilish wit. His contributions to CHSTM seminars became legendary, especially appreciated when he eventually got around to forming his question!