The artist is recorded with addresses in London (1881-1896), Wales (1886), and Falmouth, Cornwall from 1889. He exhibited widely and primarily at the RA. Wood lists his exhibition period as ending in 1899, whereas J & G extend this to 1916 with their findings.

William Humphris submitted a painting called Breton Immigrants to the Dowdeswell Exhibition of 1890. In the following year, the Census listed him as a Painter Artist originally from Herne Hill, Surrey, living with his wife Florence Humphris, from Brompton, Middlesex, and his mother-in-law Annie West (perhaps a short term visitor) from Glamorganshire at 5 Kimberley Place, Falmouth in Cornwall.