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William Hillier (Will) Petty was born in about 1875. He married Ellen Gertrude Portchmouth, and they came to Langley in 1913. They had four sons; Arthur Lester Petty died in Langley the year after they arrived, on June 13, 1914 at the age of 2, and John Langley (Jack) Petty was born in Langley in 1913. The two other sons were Robert William (Bob) Petty and Alfred Percival (Bill) Petty. In Langley, William and Ellen ran Rosecroft Nurseries on a property at what is now 60th Avenue and Fraser Highway, and sons Jack and Bob later took the business over. William died in Langley on January 10, 1942, at the age of 67.

Rosecroft Nurseries was run by William and Ellen Petty. It opened sometime after they arrived in Langley in 1913, and was located at Fraser Highway and 60th Avenue (near what is now the Langley By-Pass, including the property that is now the Esso Gas Station). The couple had three sons, and sons Jack and Bob took care of the nursery in later years.