About Billy Murphy
Lived 1940 – 2014 (aged 74). Billy Murphy was a businessperson.
William Paul Murphy (7 July 1940 – 19 December 2014), was an Irish-born British fashion entrepreneur, best known for being the founder of The Emperor of Wyoming in London's King's Road, which sparked a boom in "vintage Americana".
William Paul Murphy was born on 7 July 1940 in Cork, Ireland. His father, a hotelier, died when he was young, and his mother then ran a pub in Cork and brought up Billy and his four siblings.
In 1972, Murphy founded The Emperor of Wyoming, a shop on London's King's Road (named after the opening track on Neil Young's 1968 debut solo album), that sold vintage clothes imported from the US, with a cowboy and Western theme.
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Important facts
People in Billy Murphy's life
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Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Billy Murphy's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Billy Murphy?
British fashion entrepreneur
When was Billy Murphy born?
Billy Murphy was born on 7 July 1940.
When did Billy Murphy die?
Billy Murphy died on 19 December 2014.
What was Billy Murphy's occupation?
Billy Murphy was a businessperson.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Billy Murphy (fashion entrepreneur)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Billy Murphy. https://biography.guide/billy-murphy-businessperson/
MLA: "Billy Murphy." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/billy-murphy-businessperson/.
Chicago: "Billy Murphy." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/billy-murphy-businessperson/.
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