Born in Honolulu, George Frederick Wright was the son of William Wilson Wright (1846–1921) and Annie Marshall Wright (1847–1916). Both his parents were English, his mother was born in Darlington while his father was originally from Langton. The couple had lived in Australia and New Zealand prior to settling down in Hawaii in 1880.
He was a Republican. He attended the Old Fort Street School and graduated from Honolulu High School in 1898. Wright became Mayor of Honolulu in 1931. He died in office in 1938 while traveling aboard the Steamship Mariposa.
Memorials to him were installed at a downtown housing project and at Washington Middle School in the Pawaa section of the city.
He was buried at Oahu Cemetery. Mayor Wright was married to May Martha Lycett Wright.
They raised three children (Marsha, Byron, Fred).
