Charles Mosley (genealogist) facts for kids

Charles Gordon Mosley (born September 14, 1948 – died November 5, 2013) was a British expert in family history. He was especially good at tracing the family trees of important British families, like nobles. Charles Mosley was also an author, a person who appeared on TV and radio, an editor, and a publisher. He was most famous for being the main editor of Burke's Peerage & Baronetage. This important book helps people understand the history of noble families. He updated it in 2003, which was the first time it had been updated since 1970.

About Charles Mosley's Life

Charles Mosley was born in West London. His father, Gordon Mosley, worked for the BBC. His mother was Christine Daisy Ord. Charles had one sister named Frances. She is a counselor and used to teach math.

Charles grew up in Wraysbury, Berkshire. He went to Eton College, a famous school, from 1962 to 1967. He was a very smart student there. After Eton, he studied at King's College, Cambridge from 1967 to 1970. He earned a degree in English Literature, Philosophy, and History. Later, he worked for the British government's Foreign & Commonwealth Office. He lived in different countries like Italy, Ireland, and France. From 2008 to 2010, Charles Mosley was a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce. This means he was recognized for his contributions to arts, manufacturing, and trade.

Charles Mosley's Career in Publishing

Charles Mosley had a long career as an editor. He became well-known as an expert on genealogy and royal families. He started his career as a teacher for a short time in 1970. Then, from 1971 to 1973, he worked for the Encyclopædia Britannica. He helped edit articles and worked in the library.

From 1974 to 1977, Charles worked for the British government's Information Research Department. After that, he lived in Rome from 1977 to 1979. There, he taught English and helped organize information about countries in Europe. In 1980, Charles Mosley started working with Debrett's Limited. This company is also famous for its books on British nobility. He became the first editor of Debrett's Handbook. He later helped create Debrett's People of Today.

In 1983, Charles went back to the Encyclopædia Britannica. He became the London Editor. In 1989, he took on a very important role. He became the Editor-in-Chief of Burke's Peerage & Baronetage. He held this job until 2004. After that, he returned to Debrett's. He was the Editor-in-Chief of Debrett's Limited until 2006. Then, he decided to become a full-time author and broadcaster.

Books and TV Appearances

Charles Mosley wrote many books. One special book was about the English Monarchy. It was called Blood Royal – From the time of Alexander the Great to Queen Elizabeth II. This book was published in 2002 to celebrate a special event. His last books were The Art of Oratory (2007) and Charles Dickens: A celebration of his life and work (2011).

He also wrote for newspapers like The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, and The Times. Charles Mosley appeared on TV shows too. He was on So You Think You're Royal? on Sky One. This show explored if people had royal connections. He also appeared on many episodes of the BBC One show Who Do You Think You Are?. He was even on the U.S. version of the show. These programs help people discover their family history.

His last book was The Daffodil Library, a mystery story. It was released on October 22, 2013. Charles Mosley passed away on November 5, 2013.