Thanks for replying. William was a year older born 1874 but there's no sign that he went to Canada from the reform school in 1891. He was there with Joseph. We have Joseph's marriage cert which gives his father's name as Samuel but I think you're right - that he was born under a different name. There were apparently 2 more brothers and all 4 were known to have been made to learn a trade by their father mainly in the docks area of Liverpool.
Many thanks,
Rachel