George was born in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1931. His career as an amateur geologist began after his right arm was fractured in a fall when he was nine. His injury healed poorly, leaving him unable to participate in sports with his peers, so he began exploring the beaches and cliffs near his home collecting rocks and semi-precious stones, and teaching himself gemology. He also began discovering a wide array of fossils.Thurston, Harry. (1994) Dawning of the Dinosaurs: The Story of Canada's Oldest Dinosaurs. Nimbus Publishing Limited and The Nova Scotia Museum: Halifax, Nova Scotia.
