In 1787 he volunteered for a 3 year term in the Marine force to go to New South Wales being attached to the Sirius from 24th Feb 1787..
TheFirst Fleet arrived at Botany Bay from 18th to 20th January 1788 and the Sirius arrived in the last group on the 20th. Moving on to Port Jackson on 26th January. William remained attached to the Sirius until 21st June 1789 transferring thereafter to the on shore Port Jackson detatchment. On 22 October 1791 his honourable discharge was signed taking effect on 24th October. On 26th October 1791 William sailed on the Atlantic for Norfolk Island as a settler. On 5th November William married second fleet convict Mary Anstey who had arrived in Sydney on 6th June 1790 on the Lady Juliana. On Norfolk Island William was granted lot 43 at Phillipsburg this comprised 60acres. and was listed in Sydney on 17th August 1791 as grant number 63 on the settlers list prepared for Governor Phillip. He later leased part to a Matthew Wood retaining only 18 acres for himself by 1805..
William and Mary had two children on Norfolk Island Mary Standley 16 Aug 1792 and Joseph Standley c 1795..
The family moved to Van Diemen's Land sailing from Norfolk Is on 14th Feb 1808 arriving Hobart 1 March 1808..
William was given a grant of 50acres at Tea Tree(Ulva) another William Stanley a former convict had 50 acres at Clarence Plains..
William drowned on 20 Feb 1830 after falling from the ferry at Compton's ferry . The ferry crossed the Derwent from Austin's Ferry on the West side to Compton's Ferry on the east side..
Mary Anstey died 12 Nov 1812 and would have been buried in St David's cemetery (Now St David's Park).
A bronze plaque commemorating both William and Mary has been placed on the memorial wall in the current St David's Park..
References.
Military records ,Pay rolls, Pay Musters, Cemetery Records, Church Records & General Muster Records, Mitchell Library Sydney Australia