After the arrival of the Cheltenham Railyway Station Charman Road became the main shopping centre. From 1 small shop - Mrs Meeres who sold sweets, school requisites and drapery - it proceeded to develop throughout the 1890's with various traders until the 1910 Postcards show many shops on both sides of the road, 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.4x Black & White Postcards c 1910 of Charman Road Cheltenham VictoriaFront; CHARMAN RD. CHELTENHAM P. FAIRLAM PHOTOfairlam p, cheltenham railway station, moorabbin, 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, cancel, cheltenham primary school

A reunion gathering for past students of Cheltenham State School held in November 1936A black and white photograph of a large group of men and women in a semicircle on a school play yard beside a weatherboard building .They all appear to be smartly dressed, many women wearing hats and the men in suits. Cheltenham School Reunion. The third annual "Back to Cheltenham State school" reunion attracted an attendance of 600 former scholars to the school on Saturday afternoon. The proceedings were opened by tho mayor of Moorabbin (Cr. J. W. Allnut). The oldest teacher present was Mrs. Grant, of Sorrento, who, as Miss Fraser, had charge of the school from 1880 to 1883. Another old identity was Mr. T. Evans, of Kew, who is 82 years of age — he was the head teacher from 1802 to 1800. Photographs were taken of Mrs. Grant with fifteen of her former pupils, and of Mr. Evans, who mustered 72 of his old scholars. The roll call showed that there were 50 pupils present who attended tho school more than half a century ago. Mrs. Buckley, of Mentone, who is 84, and Mr. W. P. Fairlam, of Cheltenham, 80 years, were the oldest former scholars in attendance. Mr. Fairlam, notwithstanding his age, still carries on the business of an auctioneer. Bouquets were presented to Mrs. Grant and Mrs Buckley by the president of the mothers' club (Mrs. Marshall). An enjoyable day was wound up by a dance at night in the mechanical institute, when 200 attended. (Age, Monday 30 November 1936, page 5)cheltenham primary school, state school, charman road, cheltenham, school, charman stephen, gettens mary, spring grove, balcombe road, nepean road, dairy farmers, market agrdeners, poultry farmers, methodist church, cancel, 1936