Master of stores at Fort George near Inverness from ca. 1750 to at least 1773.
While on their tour of Scotland, Boswell and Dr Johnson received a letter of introduction to George Fern, then Master of Stores at Fort George, from Valentine White at Cawdor on August 27. On the next day, the travelling companions continued from Cawdor to Fort George, where they were immediately introduced to Fern and a Major Brewse. According to Boswell, Fern "was a brisk civil man. He had been in the Fort for twenty years, but had been at different intervals in London and other places."
After a tour of the Fort and a meeting with Sir Eyre Coote, commander of the 37th Regiment, Boswell and Johnson reposed themselves for a bit in Fern's quarters. According to Boswell, "[Fern] had everything in neat order as in England. He had a tolerable collection of books. I looked at Pennant. He says little of this fort but that the barracks, etc., form several streets. This is aggrandizing. Fern observed if he had said they form a square with a row of buildings before it, he would have given a juster description." At three, they joined Sir Eyre for supper together with Fern and several officers, discussing various subjects including the stage and the virtues of Arabs. They "had a dinner of two complete courses, variety of wines, and the regimental band of music playing in the square before the windows after it," and according to his journal, Boswell "enjoyed this day much.".
They stayed at the Fort until early evening before going on to Inverness.