Constituency : Northampton 1857-74
Charles was of middle class Quaker stock, educated at Sidcot School and started work as a commercial traveller at Manchester. He became involved in the Anti-Corn Law League and soon acquired a reputation as one of their most formidable orators. In 1842 he relocated to London to take over a booksellers' business where he was successful but retired in 1853 to pursue other interests. He published much Quaker literature including the first issue of The Friend in 1843 , a magazine which is still going. He became a speculative businessman with directorships of railways in the UK and the Ottoman Empire and interests in life insurance. He was elected to the Court of Common Council of the City of London in 1848 where his major impact was the abolition of street tolls. Charles was a Radical and made his first moves towards Parliament challenging moderate Liberals in Scotland. He fought Fox Maule in Perth in 1852 at a by-election caused by his appointment as Secretary of War on the grounds that Maule was not committed to reform and had voted for the Maynooth grant. He then challenged Arthur Kinnaird at another by-election in Perth when Maule went to the Lords. However he didn't stand anywhere in the 1852 general election. He voted against Palmerston on the Conspiracy to Murder Bill.
In 1859 Charles accepted the post of Secretary of the Poor Law Board despite Bright's stricture "Thou'd better have a rope put round your neck".
Charles was a member of the Reform Union. He was also a staunch opponent of the death penalty.
He died in 1874 aged 59, the Tories making a short-lived gain in the by-election.
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