Norman was the youngest of five children of Ebenezer Waymouth and Elizabeth (nee Mullens).

Norman's mother took her daughter and youngest son from New Zealand to Europe when Norman was about 11.   Norman was educated in Germany and London before qualifying as a survey engineer at University College, London.   He attended the Sorbonne in Paris for two years and then joined the Canadian Pacific Railroad.   About 1907 his case of appendicitis was one of the earliest operated on successfully.   He then sailed to Argentina for railway construction work.   In 1915 he volunteered for war service and served with the Royal Engineers in India and Mesopotamia becoming a Captain.   In 1919 the family returned to Argentina where Norman worked with railway companies, finally leaving Argentina in 1948.

Norman married Hilda Jessie MacFarlane and they had a son (Trevor) and daughter (Lorna).