James Donald Scanlan was born at 511 Duke Street in
Glasgow on 24 January 1899, the fifth of the seven children of Joseph (1861–1950) and Sarah Veronica Walls Scanlan (1861–1922). His father was a medical practitioner. He was educated by the
Marist Brothers at
St Mungo's Academy and by the
Jesuits of
St Aloysius' College, Glasgow. In 1915, he commenced studies at the
University of Glasgow intending to study medicine but was sent to the
Royal Military College, Sandhurst to train as an army officer. Posted to the
Highland Light Infantry, he saw service in East Africa and Egypt. Scanlan returned to Glasgow in 1920 and graduated from the University of Glasgow with a Bachelor of Law degree in 1923. He worked briefly for a law firm before deciding to become a priest. Scanlan studied at
St Edmund's College, Ware and was ordained a priest for the
Westminster Archdiocese on 29 June 1929. In 1930, he earned a
Licentiate of Canon Law from the
Institut Catholique de Paris, and in 1932, a
Doctorate in Canon Law from the
Appollinare in Rome. ==Bishop of Dunkeld==