Charles Harold Crawshaw was born at Ashton-under-Lyne on 25 May, 1887. His father was a medical practitioner. He was educated at Oundle and Christ's College, Cambridge, and did his clinical training at Manchester and St Bartholomew's Hospital. He graduated BA Cambridge 1909; MRCS LRCP 1912; MB ChB Manchester 1913 and MB BCh Cambridge 1918. He was a resident at Manchester Royal Infirmary and served in the first world war as a surgeon in 64 Casualty Clearing Station with the rank of Major. He obtained the FRCS in 1920 and was honorary surgeon to the Richmond Royal Hospital and consulting surgeon to the Star and Garter Hospital, Richmond. He married Miss Batham in 1935; there were no children. His main hobbies were chess and fly fishing. He retired to Truro and died on 9 June 1975.