Charles Hamblen-Thomas was born on 25 March 1887 at Paignton, Devon, the eldest child of Charles Kaines Thomas, a civil engineer, and Evelyn Hamblen. He was educated at Glengorse School, Eastbourne, before entering St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical School. He qualified in 1914 and after house appointments to Sir William Girling Ball and Louis Bathe Rawling joined the British Expeditionary Force in France as Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps. After demobilisation he passed the FRCS Edinburgh in 1923 and the FRCS in 1926. His initial appointments were as assistant ear, nose and throat surgeon to the Evelina Children's Hospital, aural specialist to the Ministry of Pensions and Finchley Urban District Council. He was also consultant otologist to Essex County Council. Later he was appointed consultant otorhinolaryngologist to the West London Hospital and the North East Metropolitan Throat Hospital and consultant laryngologist to the British Red Cross Society rheumatism clinic. He served as President of the West London Medico-Chirurgical Society and as honorary secretary of the Otology Section of the Royal Society of Medicine. He was also a member of the Council of the Laryngology Section. After retiring from the hospital service he remained in private practice, eventually retiring in October 1978. He married Eulalie Oliver in 1926 and they had one son, an engineer. His hobbies were flying, golf, fishing, shooting and philately. He died on 5 April 1983, aged 96.