Charles Moseley was born in Manchester in 1840, the second son of David Moseley, owner of David Moseley & Sons.

Charles and his older brother Joseph joined the family business as young men and became joint managers on their father's death in 1865. Charles acted as general manager of the works and his brother represented the firm on the Exchange.

Charles Moseley developed an interest in the work of Alexander Graham Bell in 1877, and considered opening a private telephone exchange at the David Moseley & Sons works. The company was making telegraph equipment at the time, and Moseley employed an engineer to develop telephone equipment for supply to the Post Office. In January 1878, Moseley installed a telephone connection between Thomas Hudson Ltd, hardware manufacturer of Shudehill, and the David Moseley & Sons offices on Dantzic Street, establishing the first telephone connection in regular use in the UK.

In around 1879, Moseley became a director of the Manchester and District Edison Electric Light Co Ltd and was also chairman of the Lancashire and Cheshire Telephonic Exchange Co, the same company which had prevented David Moseley & Sons opening its telephone exchange through its purchase of the licence for Manchester.

Charles Moseley was active in the development of the Manchester Ship Canal, attending a meeting of the directors shortly before his death, and in the Manchester Royal Jubilee Exhibition of 1887, chairing the Music, Electric Lighting, Refreshment and Gardens Committee. He was also a member of the Exhibition Works Selection Committee and the Executive Committee.