Creer was the son of Mary Buley and Rev William Creech, a minister in
Newbattle,
Midlothian. His father died when he was four months old and he then spent time with his mother in both Perth and Dalkeith. He was educated at
Dalkeith Grammar School then studied medicine at the
University of Edinburgh. From 1766 to 1768 he travelled with
William Strahan and
Thomas Cadell to
London,
France and the
Netherlands. After period of time back in
Edinburgh he went on a
Grand Tour in 1770 with
Lord Kilmaurs, visiting France,
Germany,
Switzerland and the Netherlands. His mother struck up a friendship with
Alexander Kincaid and thereafter he trained as an apprentice printer in the firm of Kincaid & Bell. In 1771 he went into partnership with his former master (and erstwhile stepfather),
Alexander Kincaid. Kincaid was a publisher (and later
Lord Provost of Edinburgh) who had purchased
Allan Ramsay's bookshop in the
Luckenbooths next to
St. Giles Cathedral. In 1773 Kincaid gave Creech the bookshop to concentrate on the printing side of his work. The building soon thereafter became known as "Creech's Land", Creech staying here for 44 years. Burn's poems were published from this building. He was elected a Fellow of the
Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1784 (in the first intake of members following its foundation in 1783). His proposers were
Andrew Dalzell,
James Gregory and
Alexander Fraser Tytler. In 1786 he was a founder member of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce. In 1786, John 15th
Lord Glencairn introduced Creech to
Robert Burns an important alliance was created, leading to Creech printing and selling the famous
Edinburgh Editions of Burns' poems in 1787, 1793 and 1794. Creech is one of a small and elite group to have had two poems written about him by
Robert Burns:
Lament for the Absence of William Creech (usually called "Willie's Awa'"), marking Creech's absence from Edinburgh to visit London: and
On William Creech, a short, sharp poem following an argument. In 1788, he was a member of the jury in Deacon
William Brodie's trial for robbery. Within days, his account of the trial and execution was for sale in his High Street bookshop. Serving as a Councillor from 1780 and Bailie from 1807, he served as Edinburgh's
Lord Provost from 1811 to 1813. He lived at the head of Craigs Close on the
Royal Mile until around 1800. The house was formerly the property of the printer
Andro Hart. He then moved to 5 George Street in the
new Town for his final years. Creech's land (his shop) was demolished in 1817 to allow vehicles to pass on the north side of
St Giles Cathedral. He died at home in Edinburgh and is buried in the western extension of
Greyfriars Kirkyard. A plaque to his, and his father's, memory is at
Newbattle Kirk. Creech did not marry and had no children. ==Self publications==