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A Bounty carpenter's mate, he was 5 feet 9 inches tall,with a fair complexion, light brown hair, was slender made, and pitted with the smallpox. He was one of the few crewmen who does not seem to have been tattooed. He was also described as having prominant, bulging eyes, and the most unusual range of motion in his neck, nearly 180 degrees, enabling him to literally look over his own shoulder!

He took no active part in the mutiny, and was ordered to remain on the Bounty due to the need for carpenters and armorers. He is the crewmember who noticed that the Bounty was being followed by a shark, and called Hayward's attention to it. Some authors have questioned whether this was an intentional attempt to distract the attention of the thoroughly loyalist Hayward while the mutineers talked among themselves. This is the minority opinion, however, and most feel that Hayward's distraction was simply the opportunity for the mutineers to talk.

Preferring to remain on Tahiti than sail on with Christian, he settled in Oparra, near Matavai, with several of his fellow crewmembers, living as guests of the chief of that district.

After his capture, he was placed in irons on board the 'Pandora', however, along with Coleman and McIntosh, he was soon released and put to work on board the ship, manning the pumps. He was tried upon his return to England, and was acquitted.

Caroline Alexander, in "The Bounty" adds: "A number of survivors of the Bounty did not live to learn of Fletcher Christian's fate. Loyalist Charles Norman died in December 1793, which would explain his absence as a "witness" in the dueling pamphlets of Bligh and Edward Christian. He had been buried in the Gosport church of his baptism, and so had not strayed far from Portsmouth harbor after his acquittal and release."