George Arbuthnot was a junior clerk in the British Treasury Department
from 18 July 1820 to 12 October 1832, when he was promoted to assistant clerk. While assistant clerk, he served as private
secretary to the senior parliamentary secretary
from 4 March 1823 to February 1838, to the assistant secretary
from 16 February 1838 to February 1843, to the first lord
from 3 February 1843 to July 1846, and to the chancellor of the exchequer
from 7 July 1846 to November 1850. He was promoted to senior clerk on
22 March 1850 and on
12 November appointed auditor of the civil list. This post he held until his death at his home
in Surbiton, a suburb of
London, on
28 July 1865.