Wylie Robert McIntyre was born in Largs on the 18th May 1878, the son of the Reverend and Mrs. J. B. McIntyre. He entered Glasgow University in 1902, and after completing a programme of Arts study he began a Law degree and then took classes

in Conveyancing and Forensic Medicine. Due to this long course of study, he was 31 years old when he graduated Bachelor of Law in 1910. During his time at the university he was a member of the Officer Training Corps