George was the son of Isaac and Mary Eliza Alvey (née Smith).
His father Isaac Alvey was born in Blackwell, Derbyshire, on 3 February 1874. His mother Mary Eliza Smith was born on 12 September 1877 in Woodville, Leicestershire, and baptised at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Woodville, on 13 October the same year.
Isaac and Mary were married at Mansfield Register Office in 1893 and had had nine children by 1911 of whom seven had survived infancy or childhood: Lily b. Blackwell 1894; Mary Elizabeth b. Blackwell 1895; George James b. Blackwell 1897; Isaac b. Albert Village, Whitworth, Leics. 1900 (reg. J/F/M Ashby de la Zouch); Robert Arthur b. Shirebrook 20 August 1904; Dorothy b. Shirebrook 1 November 1908 and Eva Phoebe (Phoebe) b. Shirebrook 1911 (reg. J/F/M). Isaac and Mary probably had at least two more children whose names appear on the 1939 England & Wales Register: Walter b. 2 October 1913 and Frank b. 8 January 1920 (both birth registrations give the mother's maiden name as Smith).
The births of the older children show that the family was living in the Blackwell area until at least 1897 but in 1900 their fourth child was born in Leicestershire. In 1901 Isaac (28), a coal miner, and Mary (26) were recorded in Albert Village, Ashby Wolds, Leicestershire, with their four children, Lily (6), Mary (5), George (3) and Isaac (1).
However, by 1904 Isaac and Mary had returned to Shirebrook and in 1911 were recorded at 82 Victoria Street with their seven children, Lily a domestic servant, Mary Elizabeth 'at home', George an errand boy, Isaac, Robert (7), Dorothy (2) and Phoebe (under 1 year).
Isaac jnr. died in April 1917 from injuries received in a pit accident. A report of the inquest gave his address as 8 Longdon Terrace, Stanton Hill, which was probably the family home. (See 'Extra information')
Isaac and Mary were living at 8 Longden Terrace, Skegby, in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled; Isaac was a retired colliery deputy. Also in the home was his wife Mary and their sons Walter a hewer (colliery) and Frank a roadman underground (colliery).
Mary Eliza died in 1947 and Isaac in 1953.