Charles Bourne was born in Barbados in 1921. He married Barbara (daughter of Glenville and Dorothy Farmer) on 20 August 1949. The Bournes have three children: Frances, Peter, and Angela. Charles Bourne received post-secondary degrees from the University of Toronto (BA 1945) and St. John's College, Cambridge (LLM, 1947), and University of Toronto (SJD 1970). He was called to the Bars of Middle Temple (1947), Barbados (1949), and British Columbia (1957). He began his academic career at the University of Saskatchewan in the College of Law in 1947. He remained there until 1950 when he accepted a position at the University of British Columbia, where he was an associate professor 1950-1957, and then a full professor. Bourne served as Academic-in-Residence of the legal Bureau Department of External Affairs, Ottawa (1971-72), Honorary Solicitor and member of the Board of Governors for Vancouver School of Theology (1971-80), and Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Yearbook of International Law (1962-92). He also served as president of the Canadian British International Law Association (1961-64) and the Canadian Council of International Law (1978-80). Bourne was a member of the UBC Senate and served as an advisor to the President with responsibility for relations between the University and the Faculty Association (1975-1986). Bourne specialized in administrative, constitutional, and international law, with particular emphasis on international drainage basins and environmental protection. He retired from UBC in 1986.