Born the son of a Dunbartonshire farmer, Fraser was apprenticed to Stewart & McDonald, a drapery warehouse in Glasgow, where he became a manager.
[1] In 1849, he formed a partnership with James Arthur, another Glasgow shop owner, to open a drapery shop in Buchanan Street in Glasgow.
[1] Fraser then went into partnership with Alexander McLaren to develop the retail side of the business and expanded it into one of the largest stores in Glasgow.
[1] Fraser died in 1873 leaving his business to whichever of his five sons decided to take up a share in it: in the end three sons, one of whom was the father of Hugh Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of Allander, did so and the business continued to develop.
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