Councillor Charis M.A. Pelling was a Councillor in excess of ten years and a former President of the Shire of Eltham. Cr Pelling was the founder of the Shire of Eltham Historical Society and the Society's first President.Public meeting for creation of the Shire of Eltham Historical Society, later Eltham District Historical Society subsequent to the cessation of the Shire of Eltham in late 1994. The society celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017 and retains two founding members as current members.Letter typed on Shire of Eltham letterheadshire of eltham, shire of eltham historical society, society foundation, charis m.a. pelling

Shire of Eltham Council Members at time of Centenary Celebrations. Left to Right: Cr. J.V. McConnell (Central), Cr. P. Graham (West), Cr. A. Glover (West), Cr. Mrs. Charis M. Pelling (North), Cr. B. Taylor (Central), Cr. G.C. Dreverman (President) (Central), Cr. Les E. Clarke (West), Cr. E.A. Hale (North), Cr. J.O. White (North). This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book, "Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital imagesepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, shire of eltham, shire of eltham centenary, a.j. roberts, c.j. gaudion, council chambers, cr. g.c. dreverman, g.e. newton, j.a. mcdonald, m.a. verhoeven, m.b. watson, councilors, officers, municipal, charis pelling, les clarke