Charles Sinden was born on 10 March 1871 at Woolwich, Kent.  He was the son of George and Elizabeth Sinden.  He joined the Royal Navy on 3 October 1894, before which he had been employed as a fitter and turner.  On 17 April 1901 he married Emily Garland at Goodnestone parish church near Faversham in Kent and fathered a son, Charles Lesley George Sinden, aged 3 at the time of this father's death.

He was a member of the crew of HMS A5 when she and her tender, HMS HAZARD, sailed to Queenstown, (now Cobh) in the Republic of Ireland. On 16 February 1905, whilst berthed alongside HMS HAZARD, an explosion occurred onboard, with a second explosion about 30 minutes later. Six of the crew were killed by these explosions including Charles Sinden.

He was buried with full naval honours in the Old Church Cemetery, Cobh, Co. Cork on 20 February 1905.