Born and raised in Aberdeen, Scotland, he joined HBC at age 18 in 1913. He was an Apprentice Clerk at various Hudson Strait Posts until 1916 and bettween 1916 and 1922 was "Supervisor of 3 posts" based at Lake Harbour. From 1922 to the time of his resignation in 1938 he was District Accountant, Assistant District Manager, and Assistant to Fur Trade Commissioner (Parsons), endig his HBC career at Winnipeg.