William Gardner was born on 17 September 1779 in Nailstone, Leicestershire. He
On 29 April 1806 William married Elizabeth Hooke, the daughter of Edward Hooke and Dorothy Spencer, at Cadeby in Leicestershire. They had the following children:
Ann Gardner, born about 1806 at Nailstone William Gardner, born 1807, at Ansty John Gardner, born 1810 at Ansty Edward Gardner, born 1812 Thomas Gardner, born 1814 at Glenfield Sarah Hooke Gardner, born about 1817 Henry Gardner, born about 1820