[1] He was educated at several public and private schools, and joined the National Bank, where for a year in 1880/1881 he was involved in the assay and smelting office, then returned to regular banking for seventeen years, serving in various managerial positions.
[1] He left for Tasmania around 1890, to take up a position as general director of a company on the newly developed Zeehan silver fields.
[3] In April 1900 he succeeded Charles S. Stafford as managing director of Kalgurli and Hainault mines and held that position until 1903, when ill-health forced him to resign.
[7] He had developed an interest in the pastoral life, and with his son Robin took over Atley Station near Sandstone, raising sheep.
Children from those unions include: His sister Edith Helen Black married Robert Gordon Hyndman at Melton, New Zealand on 29 December 1891.