Hugh Mackay Ross was born in Rothes and educated at Elgin Academy, Morayshire, Scotland. In 1930, at the age of 18, he joined the Hudson's Bay Company and sailed for Canada. His first posting was to Grassy Narrows in Northern Ontario where the Ojibway taught him their language and survival skills. After his apprenticeship, he worked his way up to Manager of Grassy Narrows and then the Bear Island Store in Temagami, ON. He then became manager of the Saskatchewan district. He retired in 1977 as an Administrative Assistant to the Company's General Manager.