He began lecturing in Geology in 1914 at Queen's University, Belfast, but then undertook postgraduate studies, first in London, then travelling to what was then Breslau in Germany (now Wroclaw in Poland) where he obtained a PhD in Geology.
Back in Leeds he was awarded a DSc in 1921 and then briefly transferred to Manchester University as a Senior Lecturer, before returning to Queen’s University in Belfast as a full Professor.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1950 and was awarded their Neill Prize for the period 1951-53.
[1] He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1957 New Year Honours for his services to Northern Ireland with particular reference to the field of geology.
Charlesworthy was a regular contributor of articles to the Journal of the Geological Society.