He departed Liverpool in early May 1873, and appears on a crew list in Sydney on 20 August. A letter from his mother written on 31 January 1874 states that George was by then on his way home.
Having finished his apprenticeship on 1 May 1874, he passed the examination to become a second mate on 10 June and received his certificate the following day. He then undertook 3 voyages on the Commissarial of Newcastle between September 1875 and January 1876, and 10 voyages on the Salisbury of Hullup to April 1877 whereupon he passed the examination for first mate on 8 May 1877, receiving his certificate 3 days later. During this time, he married Sarah Jane Gray on 28 August 1876, with the first of their 9 children, George Henry, being born the following year.
He continued on the Salisbury until September 1877, and then joined the Calypso of Hull from November 1877 until August 1878, and the the Fingal of Hull from September 1878 until June 1879. He then sat his master's examination on 12 August 1879, again receiving his certificate 3 days later. At the time of the 1881 census, George was on board the SS Zebra at Hull.
Nothing much is documented about George for the next few years apart from the numerous addresses he occupied which appear on the birth certificates of his children. His occupation is recorded as mariner or merchant seaman apart from one where he is a ship's rigger.
His son Otto Clarence emigrated to Seattle, USA at the age of 19, arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 13 August 1915 on board the Baltic out of Liverpool. Less than a year later, George and Sarah Jane had applied for their passport to join him, but less than 3 years later in 1918, George had died of stomach cancer. Sarah Jane survived him by a further 3 years, and was buried beside him.
Two more of George's children, Rose Emmiline and Charles Harold, followed him to Seattle, and in June 2001, I was lucky enough to visit some of my relations there for the first time. An experience that I hope to repeat.