Background
On the early death of his father in 1894, Sir Charles and his older sister Marion Daisy were raised by their maternal grandmother, Sarah Ann Williams (née Patten), a locksmith "employer at home" at Church Lane, Wolverhampton.
On the early death of his father in 1894, Sir Charles and his older sister Marion Daisy were raised by their maternal grandmother, Sarah Ann Williams (née Patten), a locksmith "employer at home" at Church Lane, Wolverhampton.
Sir Charles was the second child of John Hayward, a cycle manufacturer, and Mary (née Williams). In 1908, Sarah Williams became the second wife of Joseph Stevens, the father of Harry, Joe junior, Jack and George Stevens who founded A. J. Stevens & Company (AJS) in 1909. Hayward began his career as an engineering apprentice, setting up his own business at the age of 19.
He initially manufactured engineering patterns before moving into the emerging sidecar industry.
Hayward"s customers included AJS who bought his company in 1920, but retained him as Managing Director. In 1928 Hayward moved to London to pursue a new career as a stockbroker and industrialist.
He founded Electric & General Industrial Trusts Limited. which in turn led to the formation of the Firth Cleveland Group of Companies. This eventually had 23 factories in the United Kingdom as well as operations in the Netherlands, West Germany, South Africa and Australia.
The Group was sold to GKN in 1970.
In 1961 Sir Charles set up the which donated millions of pounds to charity. lieutenant also financed the building of the Hayward Homes for the Elderly in Dunstall Road, Wolverhampton, where the Hayward family once lived. Hayward married Hilda Arnold in 1915 and remained so until her death in 1971.