Archie was born in Victoria Cove, Gander Bay Newfoundland. He is the eldest of a family of 8 (4 boys and 4 girls!) His father  worked in the lumber camps and his mother looked after the chores at home. Archie remembers how much his mother loved her garden and caring for her cows, pigs, sheep and hens. Archie has fond memories of home- recalling that his mother "always had an extra plate on the table". He was 13 years old when he stood on a chair to help his mother knead bread for the first time when her arthritis was bad.