William Colbeck was born in Hull, England in 1871 and was educated at Hull Grammar School. He was apprenticed to the Merchant Navy in 1886 and was serving as second mate on the passenger vessel Montebello when he met Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink. He joined the British Antarctic Expedition, 1898-1900 (led by Borchgrevink) as chief magnetic observer and navigating officer on the expedition vessel Southern Cross . The expedition landed in Robertson Bay, on the west side of Cape Adare. Colbeck transferred to the shore party and thus became one of the first men to winter on the Antarctic Continent. He was also a member of the sledging party that reached a furthest south (78.83°) in February 1900.
Subsequently, he was in command of Morning on the two British Relief Expeditions, 1902-1903 and 1903-1904, which maintained communications with the British National Antarctic Expedition, 1901-1904 (leader Robert Falcon Scott). Scott named Cape Colbeck and Colbeck Bay in his honour.
After further service at sea, he became marine surveyor and bailiff in Liverpool. He died on 19 October 1930.
From the guide to the William Colbeck collection, 1902-1904, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)
