Charles was born on 29th June 1943 in Ollerton, Notts, and subsequently adopted by Jenny and Christopher Fyson who lived at Donhead St Mary in Wiltshire.  Christopher died in tragic circumstances in 1945 leaving Charles to be brought up by Jenny, whom he came to know as his mother.

They moved from Donhead to Wells when Charles was 8 years old, because his mother thought he needed an education not available in the Donhead area.  Charles was entered to be voice tested at the Wells Cathedral School.  Although his voice was found to be good enough for the Cathedral Choir, sadly his general education was not to the high standard required, since lessons would be reduced in number to allow time for choir practice.  However, he was accepted at St Andrews (the Cathedral Junior School), after which he progressed to the senior school, as a day boy, where he remained until he was12.

When his Grandfather died, his mother decided to move to Sutton Valence, Kent, to look after his grandmother.  This, however, meant another new school. Jenny saw many schools, but in the end chose Sidcot, a Quaker School.

Having been unhappy at his previous schools, Charles says of his arrival at Sidcot that at last his patience was rewarded.  He could not claim to have made any lifelong friends, nor was he particularly popular, but he felt Sidcot was like a second home and the school a family for him.

Hampered with dyslexia, as then unrecognised, and often struggling with academic subjects he flourished in the Arts centre, on the Rugger pitch ( 1st XV colours`) and the swimming pool ( school diving shield).

Charles said of his time at Sidcot that this was the place that allowed him to develop into the man he was to become.

In the years that have followed, he has always tried to be at Sidcot for the Easter Reunion and for a while he served on the Old Sidcotians Association Committee. Between 1985 and 1989 Charles and Angela co-edited the OS magazine.

After leaving Sidcot he went on to Maidstone Art College for the year 1961–62, and subsequently worked at the Cheshire Home in Maidstone, when he took on his first acting role – playing Billy Liar’s friend for the Sutton Valence Players.

His next job was at Lingfield Hospital School where he remained for 4 years , and where he met and married Anne Russell. They moved to East Grinstead and his son Erik was born in 1969.  Sadly, his marriage to Anne did not last, and his son Erik was adopted by Anne’s twin sister in Ireland.

During this difficult time in his life, he was able to get back on his feet, and thrive, through a new job at a builders' merchant; running a folk club; and through politics, chairing the local branch of the Liberal Party.

Charles was asked by his mother to visit Caldecott Community to meet the founder, who knew his grandmother.  He ended up working there for seven years and becoming fully qualified in social work. Subsequently, he worked for Dr Barnardo’s in London as a deputy team leader.  Here he met and married Angela and had a son, Joshua (Josh).

Josh made his acting debut, at the tender age of three months, on the stage at Sidcot, where, held in his mother’s arms, he played the part of ‘the baby who went down the plughole’ – one of Charles’ favourite folk songs!

Two years later Charles and Angela had another son, Daniel (Dan) and the family moved to Bury in Lancashire working in social services. Sadly, his second marriage did not last, but this time Charles was able to keep in touch with both his two sons, and with his ex.

Charles remained in the North of England, taking early retirement at the age of 50. He then took to the road as a singer song writer, poet and storyteller, which he later described as one of the happiest times in his life.

Although at school Charles may not have shone academically beside his peers, he proved in later life to be every bit their intellectual equals, being very well informed about a large range of subjects and holding his own in critical discussion.  He was kind-hearted, generous and had an unusually quick and subtle sense of humour. He is sorely missed by those that knew him well.

After a period of declining health in recent years Charles died peacefully with his family present, as he had wished - on January 4th, 2019, at the Royal Infirmary in Bradford. Our thoughts are with his family for thier loss and we thank them for sharing his Obituary with us.