Tanner, William Kearns (c.1811–1882), surgeon, was born probably in Cork, but details of his birth, background, and early life are unknown. He received his MD from the University of Glasgow in 1835, and studied under Dupuytren in Paris. In 1835 he returned to Cork to practise surgery. He lectured briefly on anatomy and physiology at John Woodroffe's school of anatomy in Cork. When that closed (1835), Tanner became a lecturer in surgery at Henry Augustus Caesar's ‘Recognised School’ of medicine (later known as the Cork School of Medicine), South Mall, Cork, where he remained till the school's closure in 1858. He also succeeded Woodroffe as surgeon to the South Infirmary, and on his retirement from this post (1880) was appointed a consulting-surgeon. In 1864 he succeeded Denis Bullen (qv) as professor of surgery in the faculty of medicine, QCC. In this position he was associated with the Cork South Lying-in Hospital and the Home for Incurables. He resigned his professorship in 1880 owing to advanced age and failing health. He was a fellow of the RCSI from 1844, and was also a member of the Cork Medical and Surgical Society. In 1879 he addressed the surgical section of the forty-seventh annual meeting of the British Medical Association, held in Cork.
Tanner died after a three-year illness, aged 71, at his home in Lapp's Island, Cork, on 21 December 1882 and was survived by his wife (name and date of marriage unknown). He was recognised as one of the most skilful surgeons in Ireland; the Cork Examiner proudly drew attention to this on his death. He was also noted for his enthusiasm for his profession, and frequently visited continental hospitals during his holidays. On one such occasion he volunteered his services during the Franco–German war, for which he received an Iron Cross. His son, Lombard (d. 1893), was a surgeon on Cunard liners and in Harley St., London.