Stephen Charman, aged 21years, arrived in Melbourne in 1842 as one of Henry Dendy's Emigrants. 1852 he purchased 160 acres for £328 bounded by Charman Rd and Balcome Rd. 'The Spring' was an important water source for the local Aboriginal people and then for the early settlers. Charman's first wife Harriet and their infant child died and in 1850 he married a widow with 5 children, Mary Gettens. Their first home was made of wattle and daub and they had 7 more children. Later a weatherboard cottage was built c 1855 Together they developed a market garden and specialized in marigolds which were sold for medicinal purposes to the Melbourne Chemists - Martin & Pleasance . The first Methodist Church Services were held at Spring Grove and the Charmans donated land in 1857 for the first Chapel, Cemetery and Primary School . Mary died 1870 and Stephen married again and moved to Gippsland where he died aged 85 in 1906 Stephen and Mary Charman were pioneer market gardeners in Moorabbin Shire 1842 and were involved in the development of Church, school and community in the area now called Cheltenham. Charman Road Cheltenham was a boundary of their land. Letter, handwritten from Stephen Charman to his brother Michael in UK 1857 x 3 pageshandwrittenmoorabbin, cheltenham, dendy henry, dendy's special survey 1841, assisted emigrants, early settlers, pioneers, market gardeners, marigold flowers, pharmacy, charman stephen, gettens mary, charman harriet, methodist church, primitive methodists, box william, box elizabeth, state schools, education, moorabbin shire, moorabbin roads board, city of moorabbin, kingston city council, charman michael, cancel

Stephen Charman, aged 21 years arrived in Melbourne in 1842 as one of Henry Dendy's emigrants. He established purchased land in 1852 and established a market garden at Spring Grove Cheltenham with his 2nd wife Mary nee Gettens. Stephen died 1906 in Gippsland. He wrote letters to his brother Michael who had remained in England Stephen and Mary Charman were pioneer market gardeners in Moorabbin Shire 1842 and were involved in the development of Church, school and community in the area now called Cheltenham. Charman Road Cheltenham was a boundary of their land. Letter, handwritten from Stephen Charman to his brother Michael in UK 1853 x 3 pages Handwritten signed Stephen early settlers, pioneers, spring grove, city of moorabbin, county of bourke, moorabbin roads board, parish of moorabbin, shire of moorabbin, henry dendy's special survey 1841, were j.b.; bent thomas, o'shannassy john, king richard, charman stephen, charman mary, gettens mary, marigold flowers, pharmacy, methodist church, state schools, education, highett william, ormond francis, maynard dennis, market gardens,

Thomas Charman came to Australia with his brother Stephen and went to Sydney. Thomas came to Melbourne c 1853 with a large dray and bullock team and with his son took supplies to the Victorian Gold digging sites. Quite profitably. Stephen Charman, aged 21years, arrived in Melbourne in 1842 as one of Henry Dendy's Emigrants. 1852 he purchased 160 acres for £328 bounded by Charman Rd and Balcome Rd. 'The Spring' was an important water source for the local Aboriginal people and then for the early settlers. Charman's first wife Harriet and their infant child died and in 1850 he married a widow with 5 children, Mary Gettens. Their first home was made of wattle and daub and they had 7 more children. Later a weatherboard cottage was built c 1855 Together they developed a market garden and specialized in marigolds which were sold for medicinal purposes to the Melbourne Chemists - Martin & Pleasance Thomas Charman arrived in Australia 1842 with his brother Stephen and moved to Sydney where he obtained a large dray and bullock team. He delivered supplies to the Goldfields and realized this was more secure than chancing to find gold by digging. Thomas returned to Melbourne when the Victorian Mines became more numerous than NSW and profitably delivered to the Victorian gold fields .Letter, handwritten from Thomas Charman to his brother Michael in UK 1878 x 3 pagesHandwritten