His father's family name of Pannamopoulos had been shortened to Pannam when he emigrated from Greece to Australia in 1856.

His father, John, had originally arrived in Newcastle, NSW in 1855, however, he was charged as a deserter and sent back to Greece, only to return and settle the following year.

[3] Charlie Pannam died at Abbotsford, Victoria on 29 October 1952, and was buried at Melbourne General Cemetery.

[4] The brother of Collingwood footballer Albert Pannam, he was the father of Collingwood and Richmond footballer and Richmond coach Alby Pannam, and of Collingwood and South Melbourne footballer and South Melbourne coach Charlie Pannam.

A wingman and a rover, he played with Collingwood in the VFL competition for eleven years (1897–1907).