Born on 12 October 1916 in Dunchurch, Warwickshire, Charles studied dentistry in Edinburgh where, in 1936/8, he became the editor of the dental college magazine White Jacket. Up to 30,000 copies were published. He graduated from Edinburgh LDS RCS in November 1939.

After qualifying, Charles joined the RADC as a lieutenant and by 1941 was a captain, serving in Italy and the Middle East for the duration of the war. For part of that time he was with the guards.

After the Second World War, Charles returned to his family home in Ripon and, in 1946, took over John Habgood's dental practice at Fountains Terrace. He was particularly interested in gold work and was well known for his expertise in dental hypnosis. In March 1958 he received a certificate for the study of hypnosis from the Dental and Medical Society.

He corresponded with Sir John Betjeman who described Charles as a 'Faberge of the dental art'.

He was a founder member and past president of The Harrogate and Ripon Dental Society. He was a member of the BDA for many years, served on the North Yorkshire LDC and also served as president of the Rotary Club. He was a generous host and was especially kind and welcoming to new and young dentists moving into Ripon, with no trace of personal or professional jealousy.

Charles married Muriel Kendall in July 1948 and over the following years they had five children: Rosemary, Robin, Jeremy, Michael and Caroline.

Charles was very broadly educated, well read, and wrote poetry and short stories. He corresponded with Sir John Betjeman who described Charles as a 'Faberge of the dental art'. As a raconteur, Charles would enliven anecdotes with quotes from his vast mental store of poets and authors.

Like his mother before him, Charles was profoundly deaf in later years, but bore his affliction stoically. He was the quintessential Englishman, always immaculately turned out, and usually sporting in his buttonhole a home grown passion flower.