Sir George Arthur was born in Plymouth, England, in 1784 and was the youngest son of John Arthur - a prosperous brewer and a former Lord Mayor - and his wife Catherine, nee Cornish, daughter of a Devonshire family.

He initially dabbled in business before joining the army in 1804 and accomplishing acts of great bravery in Egypt and Walcharen. Arthur did not go unnoticed by his superior officers, and in 1812 was posted to Jamaica where two years later he married Eliza Smith, daughter of Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Smith. The couple were to have seven sons.

In that same year he was promoted as superintendent of the English colony at Belize (British Honduras), and was noted for he capable managing of the settlement, as well as his somewhat noble attempts to prevent cruelty to slaves which earned him some opposition in the colony. In 1822 he was posted home on sick leave, during which time he learnt that he was to be made Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemens Land.

He arrived in Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) in 1824, and immediately set about reforming the prison system by offering incentives to convicts wishing to reform, as well as severe punishments to those who constantly re-offended.

During his tenure as Lieutenant Governor he monitored the police, magistrates and those who employed convicts on tickets of leave. He published two books to explain his ideas, "Observations upon secondary punishment" in 1833, and "Defence of transportation" in 1835.

His evangelical faith led him to try to improve local morals and behaviour by encouraging religious instruction. He was responsible for the removal of several corrupt officials from places of prominence, but failed in his attempts to save the native Aborigines.

His somewhat strict authoritarian style made him some enemies, and in 1836 he was recalled. He subsequently sold his extensive land holdings, thus provoking claims of corruption of which he was completely exonerated. He later became Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada (Ontario) and Governor of the Bombay Presidency. He died in 1854.

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