George Lay Crickmay was born in Newington, Surrey [now London], England on 10 April 1855 and by 1861 had moved with his family to Weymouth in Dorset where he was articled to his father, George Rackstrow Crickmay (1831-1907) in 1872.
After leaving his father's office he worked as an assistant to Richard William Drew in 1877, following which he travelled in Continental Europe. From 1881 he was in partnership with his father as Crickmay and Son. The practice had offices in London and Weymouth, Dorset. By 1894 a second son, Harry William Crickmay (1861–1937) had become a partner in the practice which was renamed Crickmay & Sons.
George Lay Crickmay was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1888. He died at The Nook, Beechwood Avenue, Weybridge, Surrey, on 25 April 1921
Works by Crickmay & Sons included Weymouth Collerge Chapel in Weymouth, Dorset (1894-96); the Church of St. Aldhelm, Lytchett Heath, Dorset (1898); Lytchett Minster Schools in Lytchett Heath, Dorset (1898); the Badger public house in Blandford Forum, Dorsey (1899); an extension to the chancel of St. Nicholas church, Broaway, Weymouth, Dorset (1901); Greenhill Hospital in Weymouth, Dorset (1902); Six Bells public house in Chelsea, London (1902); Buildings on the East Side of Aldgate Street, London (1902); New Zealand House, 415 Strand, London (1903-04); the Robinson & Cleaver building, 156-158 Regent Street, London (1903-04); and the White Ensign Naval Club, Weymouth, Dorset (1905).
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 120, 29 April 1921 p. 544
‘Obituary’. RIBA Journal vol. 28, 7 May 1921 p. 403