Charles Eastman was born in Millbrook, Hampshire, England in early 1868 and he was baptised on 5 January in Shirley. He was the son of John Eastman (1840-) and Sarah Elizabeth Judd (1841-1877), both Hampshire natives who had married in 1864.

Charles had five known siblings: Ellen (b. 1863), Harry (b. 1865), Mary Ann (b. 1870), George (b. 1872) and William (b. 1875)

On the 1871 census Charles and his family are living at an address in Millbrook, Hampshire and his father is described as a labourer. His mother died in 1877 and his father was remarried in 1879 to Ann Elizabeth Willmore (b. 1841 in Middlesex). They are living at 13 Wilton Road, Millbrook on the 1881 census. His father would pass away in 1888 and his stepmother continued to care for the family and would herself later be taken in by Charles after he was married. Charles is absent from the 1891 census but his stepmother and younger brother William are living at 13 Pound Street.

Charles was married in Southampton in 1894 to Sarah Ann Feltham (b. 1870 in Southampton) and they would go on to have seven children: Charles William (b. 1895), Jessie Laura Victoria (b. 1899), Daisy Irene (b. 1901), Maud May (b. 1904), Cecil Edward (b. 1907), Freda Bessie (b. November 23, 1909) and Ena N. (b. 1911). He was related through marriage to Titanic second class boots steward William Charles Perren, who was the husband of his wife's sister, Maud Emily Charlotte Feltham Haynes Perren.

On the 1901 census Charles, his wife, his stepmother and his first two children are living at 14 Regent Street, Shirley and he is described as a ship's fireman. By the time of the 1911 census they now much-expanded family are resident at 17 Cecil Avenue, Shirley and he is still listed as a ship's fireman.

When Charles signed on to the Titanic, on 6 April 1912, he gave his address as 17 Cecil Avenue and his previous ship as the Oceanic. As a greaser he could expect monthly waged of £6 10s. Also serving aboard was his brother-in-law through marriage William Charles Perren.

Charles Eastman was lost in the sinking; his body, if recovered, was never identified. The following death notice appeared in the Hampshire Independent (unknown date):

Eastman--April 15, at sea, on board s.s. Titanic, Charles Eastman, of Cecil Avenue, Shirley, Southampton. Sadly missed by his sorrowing wife and young family. Brother-in-law of Mr W. C. Perren.

His stepmother Ann Elizabeth died in 1916. His widow Sarah Ann never remarried and remained in Hampshire for the rest of her life, dying on the Isle of Wight in 1955 and having outlived all-but-one of her seven children.

Charles' eldest son Charles was married in 1923 to Hilda Smith but is not thought to have had any children. He died in Romsey in 1943.

Charles' daughter Jessie Laura Victoria was married in Southampton in 1924 to Hubert Edwards but she would pass away only one year later aged 25.

Both his daughters Daisy and Maud and son Cecil never married. They all died in Southampton; Daisy aged 20 in 1921, Maud in 1930 aged 25 and Cecil in 1927 aged 19.

His daughter Freda Bessie was married in Southampton on the Isle of Wight in 1940 to Leslie Berryman and they had one son and two daughters. Freda died in 1993 in the Isle of Wight.  

His daughter Ena was married in 1931 to Ernest Frampton and they had one son and one daughter. Ena died in Southampton in 1949.