MRCS LSA 1849.
Earnshaw was born in Clitheroe in around 1829 and studied at Royal Manchester School of Medicine, qualifying in 1849 and winning a number of prizes. There is a note relating to an accusation that a Mr Earnshaw cheated an exam at the medical school in 1853, this probably refers to a William Earnshaw who studied at Manchester qualifying in 1855. After qualifying, John Earnshaw was a general practitioner in Salford, and was possibly a surgeon in the Brazilian Navy. Mark Earnshaw (LSA 1822, d 1856), practising in Clitheroe, was possibly his father, and Hugh Granger Earnshaw (MRCS 1855, LSA 1857, b 1834?) was probably his brother.