I am deeply saddened to hear of Charles death. He hadn’t responded to a couple of emails which was very unlike him. I was his first publisher before my company was sold to Hachette. His book, The God Conclusion, is remarkable, as was he.
He was an extraordinary friend to me and will always be remembered with gratitude and great affection. I never met his family but my thoughts are with them now.

So sad to receive the shocking news. I first instructed Charles in 1982 and realised immediately that I’d found a barrister and friend who would always fight every case with vigour and skill. He was then a constant first choice accomplice for many, many years until his retirement.
I will always appreciate his support and friendship over those years, and also his stories and infectious humour. A real one off who will be sorely missed but not forgotten.

Canvassing with Charles for the Labour Party, whether he was a prospective candidate or a bagcarrier was a unique and enlightening experience. His enthusiasm persuasiveness and sheer charm and chutzpa were a priviledge and pleasure to see. Thanks Charles Ernie

Sending a tribute to a dear friend and former neighbour. May he rest in peace. My thoughts are with his family, and all those who also had the pleasure to know a man of such integrity and warmth.

" Friendship is a connection that does not weaken in death but instead grows stronger for those who remember."

I am so lucky to have known Charles. He was truly one of my favourite humans.
Intelligent, caring, witty and dapper with such a true love of the English language.
Charles left us far too soon and I am deeply saddened that I can’t be there to celebrate his life with you all.
As Charles would say, Affettuosi Auguri.

Charles you will be remembered forever in my heart for being the lovely caring gentlemen that you were .
I will never forget all the amazing gatherings we had in the summers past on your beautiful grass court (which you were so proud of) .
Sleep tight love you to the moon and back

I have read with a smile many of the tributes shown in respect of Charles. We are all unique and he must surely be the most unique person any of us will ever have the pleasure of meeting.

He was a member of the tennis club where I was tennis coaching when I lost a court case to a major insurance company. Unbelievably, and for no money, he read my court files and declared we could win this in the Court of Appeal if we followed his plan. This we did and won unanymously and there was great media coverage of our success, although Charles would never allow his name to be associated with our victory.

I was always confident of winning and then following our success he said that he thought of our chances as being about as likely as me winning Wimbledon!

Following this we had many tennis parties on his beautiful grass court in his garden. He would participate on the tennis court, as well as bringing lots of snacks and goodies for all our guests.

We have all lost a great friend who would go to great lengths to see justice be done. He showed the world that one person can move and influence events by using their own God given talents and abilities. We will miss his infectious vitality and he is to many of us irreplaceable.

An amazing man and in my professional tennis language he has played a magnificent life game. Well done Charles.

Charles and I enjoyed many a pint of beer together during our friendship in the early 70s at Hull University. I was lucky enough to make friends with a wonderful group of law students ( I was studying German and Swedish) , which besides Charles comprised Andy, George, Keith and Rick. It was clear to me that Charles was the most intelligent and gifted in the group and I am sure ( or hope) the others will not mind me saying this. While we all laboured away and spent countless hours in the library to achieve our goals we envied the ease with which Charles glided through his course with seemingly far less effort to achieve academic success.

As a down to earth young Northener blessed with average intelligence I was always amazed that Charles tolerated me in any shape or form but happily we found common ground discussing beer, girls ( or in our case at that time the lack of girls! ) and sport and of course it was always light-hearted and great fun and I felt comfortable and at ease in his company. With his sharp wit he made me, and others, laugh a great deal. We met infrequently over the years after Hull but through Andy and Jean I regularly got to hear about his illustrious career as an eminent and highly respected barrister. It was a joy to meet up again at a lunch party reunion “up north” a few years ago. Charles was in fine form and entertained us as usual in his inimitable way. He was a great “character” and I will forever remember his infectious smile and laugh.
“Cheers, Charles.”
Your Geordie mate, Richard.

Duke Charles...as you liked to be called...I was living in Australia when you started writing your book...and you emailed me "each chapter" as you finished it to proof-read...it was difficult...but we did it...and you told me to keep each individual chapter in case your computer carked it...(I still have them). I also have many photos and videos of us...having a campfire down by the river at your home where I introduced you to toasted marshmallows...and...when we were driving in your car and singing loudly to The Kinks song "Lola"...and dancing after dinner in your home...happy times...and so much more...and then with the disastrous virus...you sending me emails and videos and research...and telling me "do not get vaccinated"...and you deciding to take Ivermectin and you said the only side-effect you had was a damp nose...and I said to you..."well when you start barking you should see a vet"...now...you must rest until we meet again...and we will party big time....xxx

Pupil master, friend, colleague, tennis coach, dietician, and financial advisor....Charles was all of those things to me and probably in that order. I remember him as being driven by views honestly, firmly and often bizarrely held, and they would guide him in all the decisions that he made; a pupillage if you were tall, a pupillage if you had a spark rather than a first; no pupillage if you drove a MGB Midget .............
I'm so happy that I'm tall, with a 2:2 and an appropriate car and that when I bumped into Charles, whilst doing an admin job at Lewes Crown Court, he told me to give him a call if I ever got a law degree......he'd "see me alright". And see me alright he did.
I owe my career to Charles. Thank you so much wonderful, extraordinary man.

I first met Charles at the end of summer 1974. I had finished my 12 months of pupillage with Richard Headridge (then known as the Queen of the Brighton Bar) at our Chambers at 9 Old Steine, and Charles followed me as the next pupil. Perhaps Charles was a bit too fiery and spicy for Headridge’s taste, and sadly Charles was not offered tenancy. As the baby tenant myself I was in no position to influence things differently. But it all turned out for the best; had Charles been taken on it is more than possible that Chichester Chambers would not have been formed, and we would all be the poorer for that.

In all these years since 1979 it has been one of my favourite robing room stories to tell – the story of how a fearless young barrister battled against all the odds, single-handedly at first, to establish his own set. The entire Bar Establishment was against him. The London-centric Circuit looked down with great disfavour upon provincial Chambers, and their snooty disdain and opposition were palpable. Always careful to observe the proper protocols, even though he could sense that those protocols would reject him, he approached the then resident judge at Chichester Crown Court, HHJ Christopher Cunliffe (known unaffectionately to us all as the judge with the silent t) to seek his approval. Needless to say, he was met with a resounding rebuff. But we all know how Charles deals with obstacles and rebuffs! Long live Pallant Chambers, no better memorial is called for.

For the remainder of the 1970s Charles & Liz and me and my former wife Ros were the greatest of pals, playing tennis, drinking beer, visiting one another’s homes and enjoying those (relatively) carefree days of the pre-children era. Thereafter our paths took different directions and, sadly, I’ve seen virtually nothing of Charles for several decades. Very fondly remembered nonetheless.

RIP.

Nick Hall.

I was really fond of Charles - I was his junior in the House of Lords and he was, as always, the fearless advocate on behalf of his client. I remember him mostly laughing and only occasionally irascible. He had high standards that he applied to himself. I was very sad to hear if his death - he had a lot of spirit and now there is a little less in the world.

I only knew Charles socially over the last few years primarily as a fellow tennis player. Despite his lack of Roger Federer's or Rafael Nadal's agility, Charles had a wicked serve (and sense of humour!). He could place the ball brilliantly and I really appreciated his invitations to a number of doubles games we enjoyed both outdoors in Henfield and indoors during the cold winter months. Charles was also incredibly helpful in our local campaign to protect our village heritage and rural assets and at a recent recent public inquiry described Henfield as a “a village on a hill” when defending us from becoming a “town around a hill”. I was shocked and am saddened at his sudden passing. He was a ''one-off'' who influenced lots of people in a positive way. His spirit lives on

Charles, a special man

I have wonderful memories of social occasions,
Tennis parties,, barbecues, mid summer parties . Wearing a grass skirt and coconut shells to one , and winning a hoola hoop! Playing tennis on your grass court.
Your zest for life and energy made you special, all coupled with a wicked sense of humour.
Although I'd moved from Sussex , and sadly had not visited you for a while, my memories are still very vivid.
Good times, with lots of laughs, yours in that deep baritone , is what I'll remember, dear Charles.
The many sides of a multi faceted man. 
Sue x

Alas, poor Charles! We knew him...
So much to admire, albeit with a tinge of fear. He made a significant impact on our lives and leaves us with many memories.

The CsT Conclusion ?

Without Charles, most of us at Chichester Chambers would not have got a start. He had a knack for spotting outsiders who could make it.
In turns brilliant and infuriating, he was a consumate barrister. A man of high courage and integrity who’s capacity for indefatigable research inspired the rest of us and lead to many notable results.
He will be sorely missed.

Hard to know what to say, Quite shocked!
If I could I'd say thank you for being the best Uncle over those years!
It's a shame I didn't get to have more time with you as an adult, since you've been gone I started reading your book again! I have been thoroughly enjoying it so far!
Very worthwhile message, So glad you could sign it for me the last time we saw eachother. It is something I will always treasure, along with the happy memories.
Finally, Thank you for your friendship to my Nanna, she really appreciated how you kept in touch all that time!
My philosophy is that energy never dies & your energy really was brilliant! Say Hi to Nanna for us!
Lots of love xxx

Charles was a remarkable man full of contradictions and complexities. He invited me for interview for a second six month pupilage at his chambers as he thought I was a distant relative. He was disappointed to learn that I was not, but decided to offer the pupliage to me-mainly because I was tall and there were no other applicants for the unfunded pupilage. My first day as his pupil was in the Court of Appeal in the case of Kingston. LCJ Taylor was in an angry mood as he believed that the appeal brought by Charles was against sentence rather than conviction. Thereafter, Charles endured a torrent of abuse and terse annoyance in which Charles, bobbing and weaving like a boxer trying to avoid a knockout blow, held his composure and battled on when many would have given up. Remarkably he won the appeal, and the LCJ apologised to him for his ordeal as he finished his judgment. Sadly, Charles did not hear him as his solicitor had just tapped his shoulder at that point and he turned his back on the LCJ as the apology was given.

RIP Charles

Charles Taylor was an exceptional man and an outstanding advocate. Bow tied and waist coated and with his red bag swinging from his shoulder he always cut quite a dash through the courts of Sussex and Hampshire. He was the quintessential barrister and fought his cases with passion and verve but always within the letter of the law. He believed in the cab rank principle and accepted instructions that other barristers had declined because the client or the case was unpalatable. Charles thrived acting for and promoting those least favoured or disadvantaged in society.

Educated at what is now the Regis School in Bognor, Charles set up Pallant Chambers in 1979 in the teeth of opposition from the local circuit and with just three other barristers. He then held the set together through its early years by dint of his own practice and following. He was a force of nature and without him many of our present day barristers, silks and judges would never have got started at the Bar.

Initially practising in crime, Charles converted to civil work in the early 1990’s as the constraints on Legal Aid began to bite. He appeared in pretty much all courts from the House of Lords (now the Supreme Court) to the magistrates. Many of his reported cases still remain the leading authorities in their respective fields such as R v Kingston (Barry) (1994) Q.B 81 HL (intoxication and consent) and Gafford v Graham (1999) 77 P & CR 73 CA (damages in lieu of an injunction). Few barristers can claim to have changed the law as much as Charles and he did it all from chambers in Chichester. He made his mark and in doing so never compromised the things and the people he believed in.

The modern Bar does not admit mavericks like Charles and it is a poorer place as a consequence.

Clifford Darton QC