Charles Edge was born in Edgbaston, Warwickshire, England on 13 October 1800. Little is known about his early education. Where and with whom he received his architectural training is uncertain. Colvin suggests that his father, may have been John Edge, a Birmingham builder, although it was in fact Francis Edge (1748-1820), whose occupation is not known. In the entry on Charles Edge in Wikipedia [accessed 2022] it states that he studied architecture for five years in London, although no evidence is provided for this. Baird says that Edge was a pupil of the Birmingham architect Thomas Rickman (1776-1841), but again this is not confirmed.
By 1827 Edge had established a practice in Birmingham where he worked independently until the 1840s when he was in partnership with an architect called Avery. In the 1860s he was assisted by his son, Charles Allerton Edge (1844-1907) who continued took over the business in 1866 and took over the practice after his father's death the following year.
Edge lived at 18 Bennett’s Hill , Birmingham until 1840. After that he used it as his office. He died at his home in Harborne Road, Edgbaston, Warwickshire on 21 July 1867. Birmingham Central Library has an extensive collection of drawings by Charles Edge and Charles Allerton Edge.
During a 40-year career as an architect, Edge designed numerous public and commercial buildings and several private houses, mainly in the Birmingham area. This included façades of 1-6 Bennett Hill, Birmingham (c.1827); Wesleyan Chapel (Wesleyan Methodist Church) on Constitution Hill, Birmingham (1827-28); Market Hall, High Street, Birmingham (1828-35); Enlargement of the Public Office, Moor Street, Birmingham (1828-38); Office of New Hall Coal Co., Bennett's Hill, Birmingham (1832); Bank of Birmingham, Bennett's Hill, Birmingham (1833); Scottish Presbyterian Church, Broad Streert, Birmingham (1834); Norwich Union Office, Bennett's Hill, Birmingham (1834); Chapel, Key Hill Cemetery, Key Hill, Birmingham (1834-62); Rebuilding of St. Peter's Church, Dale End, Birmingham (1834-37); The Crescent, Filey, Yorkshire (1835-38) for J. W. Unett; Completion of Town Hall, New Street and Paradise Street, Birmingham (1835-51); Birmingham & Midland Bank, Union Street, Birmingham (1836); Aspley House, 39 Wellington Road, Birmingham (1836); 15 Chad Road, Edgbaston (1837); Holy Trinity Church, Smethwick (1838); Enlargement St. George's Church,Westbourne Road, Birmingham (1838); Independent Chapel, King Street, Dudley (1838-39); Congregational Chapel, King Street, Dudley, Worcestershire (1839); National Provincial Bank, Bennett's Hill, Birmingham (c.1840); Alteration of New Royal Hotel at 93 New Street, Birmingham into a Post Office (1841-42); Premises of Joseph Gillot at corner of New Street and Bennett's Hill Birmingham (1843); St. Paul's School, Warstone Lane, Birmingham (1844); Norwich Union fire engine house at 17 Temple Street, Birmingham (1846); Portico to Aspley House, 39 Wellington Road, Edgbaston (1850); Savings Bank, 31 Cannon Hill, Birmingham (c.1850); Waterworks Engine House, Aston, Birmingham (1850-51); Lily House, Birmingham Municipal Gardens, Westbourne Road, Birmingham (1852); Infant School and headmistress' house, parish school, Ampton Road, Edgbaston (1853); Charlmont Hall, West Bromwich (1855); Addition of chancel at St. George's Church, Calthorpe Road, Edgbaston (1856); Proof Hole, Proof House, Banbury Road, Birmingham (1860); Shop and works for Mr. Powell, gunmaker, at 35-37 Carrs Lane, Birmingham (1860-61)
Baird, Peter. ‘Charles Edge’ in Birmingham’s Victorian and Edwardian Architects, edited by Phillada Ballard. Wetherby, Yorkshire: Oblong Creative for the Birmingham and West Midlands Group of the Victorian Society, 2009 pp. 25-45
Colvin, Howard, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840. New Haven, Connecticut and London: Yale University Press, 4th edition, 2008 pp. 340-341