William (Bill) Ellis George was born at Bathurst, NSW, the eldest of five children of William Ernest George, a chemist, and his wife Mary nee Ellis, a teacher. He was educated at Sydney Boys' High School and, having gained an exhibition to the University of Sydney, graduated in medicine first in his year with second-class honours.

He was a resident medical officer at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, for two years and then spent a further two years as medical officer at the Australian Tropical Institute, Townsville. In 1926 he was appointed medical officer-in-charge of the Bureau of Medical Inspection at Broken Hill where, apart from accidents, the main occupational hazards for mine workers were pneumoconiosis, tuberculosis and lead poisoning. He was also medical officer of health and government medical officer for Broken Hill.

Dr George left Broken Hill in 1947 to become chief medical officer of the Joint Coal Board and with characteristic vigour and enthusiasm set about the task of organising a comprehensive health service for the coal mining industry in NSW. The Coal Board established a medical bureau at each of the four main coalmining centres (Cessnock, Newcastle, Wollongong and Lithgow), each bureau having a medical officer and other necessary staff, and complete radiographic and laboratory equipment. A scheme for detailed pre-employment and periodical medical examinations was introduced.

Bill George had attended the first and second international conferences on pneumoconiosis, which were organised by the International Labour Office and so it was appropriate that, at the third conference which was held in Sydney in 1950, he, as an ILO expert, was elected chairman.

In 1956 Dr George resigned his position at the Joint Coal Board to become chief medical officer of CRA Ltd. In this position he revisited Broken Hill and became involved with health problems of other mining industries, including uranium. After his retirement from CRA in 1965 he did not stop work and for several years was medical consultant to some private companies.

Dr George was a member of the committee which was appointed by The Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1952 to investigate occupational health in Australia. He was an honorary lecturer in preventive medicine at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine of the University of Sydney, and a member of the BMA, the AMA and of several other professional associations.

During his hospital residency Bill George met Laura McKnight, a nurse. They were married in 1924 and had two daughters. He volunteered for active service at the outbreak of the Second World War but was refused because of the greater value of his work at Broken Hill, where he became a leading and highly respected citizen. He took a prominent part in medical and community affairs and was a tireless worker for the St John Ambulance Association. In recognition of his outstanding service to the Association he was created Knight of St John.

Possessing a rather forceful personality which at times may have appeared abrupt to some people, Bill George was really a friendly man, mostly cheerful, extremely kind, generous and scrupulously honest. He treated his staff well and expected the same standards from them that he displayed himself. In his own work he was conscientious and meticulous, and his official reports and publications were well written and unambiguous. He was an outspoken critic where necessary and was essentially practical in matters of health, safety and dust exposure, always emphasising the need for rigorous controls. His favourite sources of recreation were music, reading, bowls and fishing.

Bill George's political views were conservative but this did not stop him from maintaining good relations with union leaders and workers. In a long professional career, during which he gained a vast knowledge and experience of mining practices and hazards, it was to his credit that he enjoyed the respect and goodwill of all parties concerned.