 In the 1930s, he developed cosmetic tattooing with such techniques as permanently darkening eyebrows.He continued tattooing until he died suddenly on Good Friday in 1953 at the age of 80.His apparent autobiography, "Memoirs of a Tattooist", edited by Peter Leighton (a pseudonym of writer Edward Spiro / EH Cookridge), was published in 1958 by Oldbourne Book Company and includes photographs illustrating some of his tattoo designs, though recent research has revealed that the book is not actually a compilation of Burchett's own notes, but a confection cribbed quickly from newspaper articles shortly after George's death.