Fisher was born in Dublin, Ireland on 25 December 1843, the son of James Fisher, the Government printer in Dublin, and apprenticed as a compositor in London before moving with his family to Melbourne in 1857, where his father became a co-proprietor of The Age newspaper.

George arrived in New Zealand in 1863 and worked first as a printer then as a journalist on Hansard (at Parliament).

As a top New Zealand's tennis player, both at home and abroad, FMB Fisher reached the final of the Australian Open in 1906 - one of only four New Zealanders to play in the final of a 'Grand Slam' event.

A brother of George's, David Fisher (1850–1912), also a printer by trade and resident in Wellington 1872–1906, was a leading New Zealand union founder and organiser.

[1] He represented the Wellington South electorate from the 1884 general election until the end of the parliamentary term in 1887, and then represented the Wellington East electorate from the 1887 general election until the end of the parliamentary term in 1890.