George Bailey was a native of Bolton, the son of a cotton spinner William Bailey. A member of the gymnastics club at his hometown Bolton Lads & Girls Club, Bailey won the Northern Counties Championship in 1906 and 1907 prior to his selection to the British gymnastics delegation at the 1908 London Olympics. He competed in individual competition, dubbed “The Hepathlon”, finishing twelfth with 246 points. Following the Olympics, Bailey won the Northern Counties Championship once again in 1910. Taking after his father and brother William by working in the cotton industry, he continued to reside in Bolton until his death in 1914 at the age of 29.