William McCammond was born on 8 September 1831, near Carnmoney. He was a master builder and contractor and moved to Belfast in 1849 to serve an apprenticeship.

McCammond started his own building firm at Duncairn Street and constructed many prominent buildings in Belfast, including the Grand Restaurant located between Castle Lane and Cornmarket, and Agnes Street Methodist Church.

McCammond was chosen to represent Dock Ward at the Water Board and served as its chairman from 1882 to 1884. In 1880, he was elected to the Belfast Corporation as a councillor for Dock Ward.

He served as chairman of the Corporation’s Improvement Committee from January 1884. In this role he supervised some of Belfast’s most important municipal improvement projects including the widening of Queen’s Bridge, the erection of the Albert Bridge, the city’s main drainage system, and the erection of the water offices in Royal Avenue.

McCammond was appointed as a Justice of the Peace for the city of Belfast in 1885. He was knighted in 1895 and the following year was presented with his mayoral portrait.

Sir William McCammond died on 2 March 1898 at his home in Fortwilliam Park.