Charles Naylor was born in Hubli, South West India, on 13th May 1933. He began his education in India and left school at the age of 14 to work for a time as a cabin boy.
He came to England in 1948, at the age of 15, where he began an apprenticeship at the BICC Company in Liverpool and attended night school, eventually gaining an HNC in Electrical Engineering. It was there that he first developed an interest in karate, after a colleague brought in a copy of the Nishiyama and Brown book, Karate: The Art of Empty Hand Fighting.
Being a keen sportsman, he decided to give it a try and began making enquiries via the CCPR (the body which pre-dated the Sports Council). Around this time, a group of youngsters from a Liverpool Jiu Jitsu club—including a brown belt named Andy Sherry—were making similar enquiries. They, along with a group from BICC, met at a pub in the centre of Liverpool to discuss forming a karate club.
A friend had attended a karate course under Mr Vernon Bell at Chigwell in Essex and became the first “instructor” at a class held at the David Lewis Theatre in Liverpool city centre. Sensei Naylor clearly committed himself, as he earned his black belt in 1966—one of the first people in the country to do so.
Little did he realise the level of involvement he and his family would ultimately reach. Dot Naylor, his wife, took up karate shortly after him, achieved her black belt making her one of the first in the Country, and remained a practising Karateka until she became ill in 2017. His daughter Jane earned her 4th Dan and represented Great Britain for many years as a competitor, while his son Mark achieved 1st Dan. All of the Naylors were long-standing members, and between them amassed approximately 90 years of KUGB membership and practice—a record that is surely hard to beat.
In addition to teaching karate professionally, Sensei Naylor served as a trustee of the KUGB and as its Vice-Chairman. He was highly respected in international circles for his negotiating skills and his understanding of the complexities of karate politics. He was also a Senior International Referee and President of the European Shotokan Karate-do Association and President of the World Shotokan Karate-do Aassociation.
Despite all these achievements, his greatest pride was seeing his wife and children achieve their black belts, and seeing Jane selected for the international Team. Among the moments he most cherished were watching Frank Brennan defeat World Champion Mori in Bremen in 1980; witnessing the re-emergence of ESKA in Sunderland, especially as the England team won; and, last but not least, seeing the “boys” beat Japan at the World Championships in 1990.
Charles continued to teach and to hold his positions within the KUGB, ESKA and WSKA until he sadly passed away on 14th March 2007.
