William Kennedy was born in Belfast, Down, Ireland on 6 April 1876. By 1891 he was living in Glasgow, Scotland and by 1903 he had moved to Manchester, Lancashire. From 1892 to 1897 he was articled to D. Howarth & Son in Liverpool. He also attended Liverpool Municipal Technical School and Liverpool University School of Architecture from 1894 to 1898. He was employed as an assistant to Cox & Marmon from 1897 to 1899; and to Alexander William Mills (1814-1905) and James Murgatroyd (1830-1894) of Mills & Murgatroyd from 1890.
Kennedy commenced independent practice as an architect in Manchester in 1901 and was elected a Licentiate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (LRIBA) in 1911. His address was given as 23 Strutt Street, Manchester in 1911; 34 Chapel Road, Northenden, Manchester in 1911 and 1914; an 14, St. Peter's Square, Manchester in 1923 and 1939. He died in Leicester in 1957
Shelters and conveniences, Southport; "Roewoods", near Macclesfield: "Aidonrie", Heaton Mersey; "Eversley," Heaton Mersey; "Burnbrae". Heaton Mersey; shop, No. 411, Oxford Road, Manchester; villas at Northenden [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1914]
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001