William Gordon (known as Gordon) was the eldest of three children of Charles Waymouth (Architect) and Winifred Theodora (nee Mather) of Hornsey and Barnet.

Gordon was educated at Cambridge University and served as an officer in World War 1.   He was a very good hockey player and was in an English touring side to Europe.

Gordon went into teaching and became headmaster of St Lawrence Junior School at Ramsgate, Kent.   The school was evacuated to Northampton to escape bombing in WW2 and Gordon married Barbara Lines, one of the teachers there.

Gordon and Barbara had two children, a daughter and a son.