Norman Macleod Glen was born in 1912 , the son of John Glen, a warehouseman. He began studying at the University of Glasgow , Scotland in 1929 and in his first year studied Latin, Maths and History. In his second year he studied History (Higher Ordinary), Maths (Ordinary) and Political Economy (Ordinary). In his final year he studied English, Moral Philosophy, Political Philosophy and Social Economics. He graduated MA in 1932 and became and accountant. In 1937 he is listed in the General Council Registers as being a warehouseman, and from 1954 he was a company director.
From the guide to the Papers of Norman Macleod Glen, b 1912, arts graduate, University of Glasgow, Scotland, 1931-1932, (Glasgow University Archive Services)