Charles was born on 28 September 1818 at Somerset, England. He was baptised at Shepton Mallet, Somerset, on 31 October 1818. His father Charles was a Hawker and they lived at Rolver Street.
Charles Junior was tried at Easter Assizes in 1833 for Larceny but was acquitted. On 6 August 1836 at the age of 18, Charles West was tried at County Assizes in Somerset for the offence of Warehouse Breaking and was sentenced to 14 years.
Charles arrived in New South Wales on 12 February 1837 on the ship Norfolk, which sailed from Spithead on 30 October, 1836 and was said to have had an excellent run out of the channel with fine weather. Charles was single, could read and write and was a Protestant with no previous convictions. He was 5’6 tall and had a fair, ruddy complexion, light hair and grey eyes.
By Cheryl Barton
Forbes Family History Group