George William Acres was born in 1862 in Dublin, Ireland, the second son of Robert Acres (1826-1902) and Jane Ann Smith (c.1824-1900). George and his older brother Adam Smith Acres arrived in Melbourne with their parents on the Royal Standard on 9 Feb 1864. Another brother, Ralph Charles Crampton, was born during the voyage but died aged 13 months in Collingwood, Victoria. Robert and Jane Acres were buried in the Friends (Quaker) Cemetery in Pedder Street, Launceston.
George married Mary Annie Burr on 13 Dec 1901 in Launceston. They had two children, born at 87 Frankland Street: Kathleen Jean on 3 Apr 1905 and Robert Charles on 18 Feb 1908. Kathleen married Keith Mansfield Brumby on 18 Oct 1926 at St John's Church, Launceston.
George commenced his journalistic career in Launceston with The Examiner and was then employed by the Daily Telegraph. His interview with an octogenarian appeared as an article in that paper on 19 Jun 1897, page 8. After the paper ceased publication in 1928, George moved to Hobart where he worked for the Tasmanian News, The World and finally The Mercury. George also held a position with a Wagga, NSW, newspaper. He died on 15 Nov 1931 aged 70 at his home 14 Flinders Lane, Sandy Bay. He was buried at Cornelian Bay. His obituary in The Mercury described him as 'one of the oldest working journalists in the state'. He was well-liked and a capable all-round journalist with sound experience and good judgement. His wife Mary Annie died aged 79 on 17 May 1956.
Darrel Brumby Aug 2005, Barbara Valentine Sep 2005 & Andrew Forbes May 2011