00.00 - 9.17
He was born in Dundee in Clemenpark Nursing Home, a poor house, on December 2nd 1931. He lived in Wyan street for three years until he moved to the Steel Houses in Kennybank. This was due to his mother being from a wealthy family and his grandmother being a "snob" and not wanting them living in the lower class areas of Dundee, thus she helped them move. His father was a labourer, constantly in and out of work, meaning his mother was means tested and received 3 shillings for her children per week until she was spotted with gold on her hands. His father was extremely left-wing and fought for workers rights.

9.17 - 15.25
For his first 6 year he was a very unwell child, contracting pneumonia every year. He was in and out of hospital and claims that he "lived off charity" because his parents couldn't pay the hospital bills. He recalls a family holiday that he missed out on when his family went camping and left him in the hospital.

15.25 - 21.33
He attended school at Cleblands, until the war broke out and they gathered in church halls due to bomb threats due to the school being close to the ship yards. They also gathered in small groups in children's homes until the end of the war. He attended the Morgan academy and recalls never being fond of any teachers throughout his school life and only liked one teacher from his university experience.

21.33 - 27.27
He felt his mother was very ambitious for him and favoured him over his siblings. His family were not particularly religious however his grandfather was an elder at their church for many years until an affair between the pastor and a young girl broke out and he found himself put off the church and religion itself. His mother briefly taught at Sunday school despite being an atheist.