William Brodie born in Banff, Scotland on 22nd January 1815. He was the second son of a Banff Shipmaster John Brodie, his mother was Mary Walker.

He was first employed as an apprentice plumber, in his spare time he amused himself by casting lead figures of well-known people. His talent for sculptor was recognised and he was sent to Edinburgh to continue his education, where he gained a scholarship.

He later went to Rome, where he studied under Laurence Macdonald. Returning to Edinburgh in 1875 he made the group of "A Peer and His Lady Doing Homage", for the Prince Consort Memorial.

William Brodie was commissioned by Angela Burdett Coutts to sculpt the famous statue of Greyfriars Bobby, which stands outside the entrance to Greyfriars Kirkyard, on the corner of Candlemakers Row and George IV Bridge.

Some of other work includes part of the Scot Monument and the statue of Sir James Young Simpson standing in Princess Street Gardens.

He died 30th October 1881 at his home in Cambridge Street, Edinburgh and is buried in Deans Cemetery.