His father, who was born in Scotland, made his fortune at Broken Hill in Australia and returned with his family to Britain about 1891 and set up home at 184 Queens Gate, London (demolished 1971).

Also in 1908, McCulloch, as a member of the Leander Club won the Diamond Sculls at Henley, beating Athol Alexander Stuart.

[2] McCulloch was subsequently selected for the British Team and won the Silver Medal in the single sculls, rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

The winner of the Gold Medal was Harry Blackstaffe of the Vesta Rowing Club who was twice McCulloch's age at the time and something of a sculling legend.

John Singer Sargent originally painted Alexander in a standing position holding a landing net but decided the portrait looked too contrived.