known as murray, he was the son of canadian historian george mackinnon wrong, and of sophia hume wrong, daughter of the politician edward blake. he was the brother of diplomat humphrey hume wrong. like all his siblings and his father, wrong was educated at the university of toronto. he then proceeded to balliol college, oxford as a commoner, where he was tutored by a. l. smith, and obtained first-class honours in modern history in 1913.