Born in
Stepney, London, Walker was the son of William James Walker, a brewery worker and
drayman at Watneys brewery, and his wife Ellen Louisa Walker née Page. Walker attended the Jubilee School in
Bedford, leaving at 14 to work in an aircraft factory. He later worked as a salesman and a
porter in
Billingsgate Fish Market and did his National Service in the
Royal Air Force. A former prize-fighter, Walker was a keen amateur
boxer, becoming British amateur
heavyweight champion in 1951. He turned professional and fought 14 professional fights, winning 11 with eight knockouts. He was pitted unsuccessfully against Welsh champion
Dennis Powell for the British light-heavyweight title relinquished by
Randolph Turpin. Walker then drifted into crime, working for
East End gangster
Billy Hill, and eventually being convicted for theft and serving two and a half years in
Wormwood Scrubs. On release, he became the owner of a motor garage and manager for his brother
Billy Walker, a professional heavyweight boxer. The brothers launched London's first
discotheque Dolly's, in
Jermyn Street, and a set up a business called G and W Walker Catering and Leisure Group, which consisted of chain of cafes, and Billy's Baked Potato. In September 1973, George Walker completed a reverse takeover of Hackney & Hendon Greyhounds Ltd. This meant his private company bought a public company and the new merger resulted in a new company called
Brent Walker, with Walker selling his equity in Brent Cross in 1979, netting £3.7 million in profit.
Hackney Wick Stadium remained under the control of Brent Walker until 1991 when the bank took control of it. Brent Walker had a turbulent career through the 1980s, being worth about 250 million pounds at its zenith, but eventually collapsing in 1990 after taking over
William Hill Bookmakers in a leveraged buy out. Walker was accused of fraud after an investigation by the
Serious Fraud Office, but was cleared of all charges after a lengthy trial in 1995. He was however made bankrupt and moved to Russia, where he ran a series of businesses selling cigarettes and perfume and later opening a chain of betting shops. == Marriage and children ==