CHARLES H. ROBINSON was appointed to the Camden Fire Department in the spring of 1884 to serve as an extra man with Engine Company 2. He replaced Isaiah Collins. When the Fire Department was reorganized on July 1, 1885 and eighteen of the extra men were laid off, Charles H. Robinson was retained. He was still serving with the Fire Department as late as 1932. At that time he was Captain of Engine Company 9 in East Camden.

Charles Harrison Robinson was born in New Jersey to William and Elizabeth Robinson. When the Census was taken in July on 1860 the family was living in Camden's South Ward. They had moved over the city line to Newton Township by the time the Census was taken in 1870. The family then consisted of Charles Robinson, his parents, and younger brother William Robinson, then 7 years of age. Three more brothers would be born during the 1870s, George, Howard, and Morris. 

The 1880 Census shows the Robinson family at 715 Walnut Street. Charles Robinson was living at home with his parents and brothers, and working as a laborer, and was still living there when the 1881-1882 Camden City Directory was compiled. Charles Robinson married Elizabeth Matthews in the early 1880s. The 1882-1883 City Directory gives his address as 731 Mount Vernon Street. He moved back to 715 Walnut prior to the publication of the 1883-1884 Directory, then moved to 756 Cherry Street, where he lived in 1884 and 1885. His wife Elizabeth had given birth to daughter Carrie in 1883. Son Harry G. Robinson came in 1886. The Robinson family was living at 744 Walnut Street in 1887 and 1888, according to City Directories for those years. Another son, Charles H. Robinson Jr. was born in 1888.

Charles H. Robinson had worked as a laborer, as an oil cloth printer, and as rope maker in the 1880s through July of 1885. As stated above, he had been appointed to the Fire Department as an extra man in 1884, which was essentially a part-time position. He became a fulltime firefighter, when, at a special meeting of the City's Fire Committee held on July 7, 1885 the fire department was reorganized. Each engine company added a permanent foreman and two hosemen; the ladder company added two laddermen for a total of eight new full-time firemen.

The new foremen were John Stockton, Engine Company 1 and Henry Grosscup, Engine Company 2. The reorganization became effective on August 1st and the foremen were given charge of their respective units at an annual salary of $720. 

Less than a month later, on August 4, 1885, a tornado struck Camden. The twister knocked over the firehouse bell tower at Engine Company 2's headquarters. There were also three fires and six deaths as a result of the twister.

An 1886 account revealed the following about Engine Company 2. The unit was quartered on the northeast corner of Fifth and Arch Street, a location that would house Camden Fire Department units into the early 1960s, The two story brick building at 19 North 5th Street was shared with the Camden Hook and Ladder Company, now known as Ladder Company 1. This building also was the headquarters of the Camden Fire Department.

Engine Company 2 personnel in 1886 are as follows:

Engine Company 2's apparatus at that time consisted of an Amoskeag second class steamer (makers plate #319), a hose wagon and a supply wagon.

By 1888 Charles H. Robinson had been transferred to the Hook and Ladder Company.

The 1890-1891 Camden City Directory shows Charles H Robinson and family had moved to 750 Mount Vernon Street. Another son, William Robinson, was born in December of 1890. The Robinsons stayed at this address through at least 1906. 

In January of 1895, Chemical Engine Company 1 was organized and entered service at Fire Headquarters, North 5th and Arch Street. The apparatus was built by Charles T. Holloway of Baltimore, Maryland and hd a double, sixty gallon chemical tank and was drawn  by two horses. John W. Toy was named foreman and George Cox, driver; the hosemen were Wright Cox and Charles Robinson. In 1899 Hook and Ladder Company 2 and Chemical Engine Company 2 were organized and entered service at 617-619 Kaighn Avenue. Charles H. Robinson was promoted to Foreman and was the first to command the new Ladder Company, with George B. Wade being given the foreman's post with the Chemical Engine Company, which became Engine Company 8 in 1916. By 1906 he had been reassigned to lead Chemical Engine Company 2. Samuel M. Price then took the helm of Ladder Company 2. The foreman job title was replaced by the still-in-use Captain designation shortly afterwards.

The 1900 Census shows Charles and Elizabeth Robinson living at 750 Mount Vernon Street with their four children. Charles H. Robinson's younger brother William had married and was living next door at 752 Mount Vernon Street with his wife and two sons.

By 1910 the Robinson family had moved to 1257 Park Boulevard in the then-new Parkside section of Camden. Only sons Harry and William were still living at home. Charles Jr. had married and was living in East Camden at 136 North 30th Street with his wife Edna. He worked as a telegraph operator. By 1914 Charles Robinson Jr. and his wife moved to 2727 High Street. Sadly, by the middle of 1918 he was a widower. Tragedy had previously struck the Robinsons in July of 1916, when youngest son William was killed in an automobile accident.  

Charles H. Robinson was promoted to Captain of Engine Company 9 in East Camden at some point between 1914 and the middle of 1918. He was still serving in this position as late as 1924, and was still serving as a Captain with the Camden Fire Department when the 1927 Camden City Directory was compiled. By 1929 he had retired on pension.

Charles H. Robinson and Elizabeth Robinson were still living at 1257 Park Boulevard when the Census was taken in April of 1930. Fire Department records from 1931 also show him at that address. Charles H. Robinson died on February 8, 1932. Elizabeth Robinson joined her husband on June 6, 1932.