Family background
Ono Earnshaw was born in 1811 at Melton, Yorkshire, England son of George Earnshaw and Lydia nee Dyson. On 22 December 1834 he married Mary Bottomley at Almonbury, Yorkshire, who died in 1842, aged 38 years. They had arrived at Sydney on the Nabob on 21 February 1842. He then married Mary Irlam, nee Thornley, in 1846. He died at Glebe on 4 October 1865, 55 years.
Occupation & interests
Earnshaw, whose occupation was listed as stonemason in 1841, was sent from Yorkshire by the District Court of Foresters to be the founder of the Ancient Order of Royal Foresters, its first Chief Ranger. He lived on Bishopgate Estate, Glebe and sought to induce better paid workers to become lodge members. The lodge recorded his role on his tombstone at St Stephens Cemetery, Camperdown. He left an estate valued at 100 pounds for probate purposes.
Community activity
Earnshaw was a committeeman organising a new gallery at St Barnabas, Parramatta Street, to accommodate the increased number of Sunday School children.
Local government service
Ono Earnshaw was elected to Outer ward with John Reilly and Ambrose Thornley at the first Glebe election in 1859. He did not stand for election to Glebe Council in 1860.
Earnshaw was part of the council motion requesting the Inspector General of Police requesting three resident policeman to be stationed at Glebe and a deputation to him in December 1859. At this time council posted placards in the streets of Glebe cautioning persons to prevent pigs, goats and other animals straying onto roads.
References
Glebe Municipal Council minutes, 1 December 1859
Sydney Morning Herald, 1 September 1859, p. 5
Empire, 11 July 1860, p. 8
Sydney Morning Herald, 5 Octoer 1865, p. 8