He was educated at Repton School, and before going to university, rowed for London Rowing Club, being a member of their Thames Cup crew in 1895 and of the eight that finished second in the Grand Challenge Cup in 1896.

[5] Etherington-Smith (nicknamed "Ethel") was captain of the Leander eight, which won the gold medal for Great Britain rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

[6] At age thirty-one he apologized to teammate Guy Nickalls who was ten years older: "I suppose they have asked me because I am about half-way down the line between yourself and Bucknall in age.

"[5] Etherington-Smith trained in medicine and became a demonstrator of anatomy at St Bartholomew's Hospital, having held the residential appointments, including that of House Surgeon.

[5] He died just after his thirty-sixth birthday from blood poisoning contracted while operating on a patient who had gangrene of the lung.