archibald ashmore ("archie") mckellar was born in paisley, renfrewshire, scotland, on the 10 april 1912, the son of john and margaret mckellar, of bearsden, dunbartonshire, and was then educated at shawlands academy in the southside of glasgow. upon leaving school he joined a local stockbroker's firm. this did not suit mckellar, who preferred an open–air life style. keen to leave, but unsure of what direction to take in life, he joined his father's general contractor and construction business as a plasterer. he spent five years as an apprentice plasterer. during this time he was given no special privileges despite being the boss' son.