Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Edward Adams, a shoe trade finisher, born 1866 in the United States of America and his wife Mary Ann Adams (nee Black, married in the 2nd quarter of 1888 in the Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire district), a shoe trade machinist, born 1868 in Anstey, Leicestershire. Charles Edward was born in the 3rd quarter of 1889 in Anstey, in April 1891 the family home was at Anstey Land Society Cottage, Gladstone Street, Anstey. In March 1901 Charles was residing in the family home at Cropstone Road, Anstey, together with his father, a shoe trade finisher, his mother a shoe trade machinist and his siblings, Muriel Eliza, born 1892, George, born 20th May 1893, John, born in the 4th quarter of 1895 and Lily, born 21st December 1889, all his siblings were born in Anstey. In April 1911 Charles was absent from the family home at Cropstone Road, Anstey, residing there was his widowed mother, a shoe trade machinist and his siblings, Muriel, a shoe trade machinist, George, a boot trade riveter, John, a shoe trade pressman, Lily, a schoolgirl and Arthur, a schoolboy, born 1906 in Anstey, Charles was employed as a general farm labourer and was residing as a servant at Barkby Road, Syston, Leicestershire. His brothers George and John both fell in action.