Frances Powell, the composer's grandmother, was American. Her father, William Henry Powell, was one of the foremost painters of his day, and painted several of the huge murals in the Rotunda of the Capitol Building in Washington. She studied in Paris with Henri Doucet, who painted this portrait.  Frances was an early pioneer of the artists' colony in St Ives, and lived in the nearby village of Zennor.

George's mother, Constance Lloyd, was half Irish, born in Halifax in Yorkshire.  She learned Irish at the time of the 'Gaelic Revival' in the early 20th century, and corresponded with Douglas Hyde, (An Craoibhín Aoibhinn) who became the first President of Ireland. She played the violin, viola and piano.  

Constance Lloyd at the time of her marriage.   Although from a gentry background, she dressed as a Gypsy, and smoked a pipe. She spoke some Romany, and (like her father) befriended the local Cornish Gypsies, who would take tea with her.

William A C Lloyd MC (1885 - 1951) was born in Rome. After his father, Captain Walter Lloyd, RN, died, he returned to England with his mother. He grew up in the bohemian artists' colony of St Ives. At the age of 14 William inherited a small estate in Yorkshire from a childless uncle. He wrote the first biography of Vincenzo Bellini, published several books of poetry, and wrote the libretti for George's 3 operas. He was appointed a Director of Grand Opera Productions, the operating company for the Carl Rosa Company. 

George Lloyd aged 8. He suffered from bouts of rheumatic fever as a child, and was confined to bed for many months so he had little formal education until he was 12.  He was taught at home and although his grammar was good, his spelling was largely self-taught. 

At the age of 14, George knew that he wanted to be a composer and demanded a proper musical education.  He attended Chichester Cathedral School where he had a grounding in harmony and counterpoint which later impressed his teachers at Trinity College of Music.

Bridge Cottage, Zennor, with George's father William A C Lloyd, in the doorway. George composed his first opera, Iernin, in the old watermill at at Bridge Cottage in 1933, when he was 19 years old.  The opera is based on the local legend of the Nine Maidens, turned to stone for dancing on the Sabbath. George's mother was the Founder of The Wayside Museum at Bridge Cottage, which ran from 1934 to 2015.