Historical information

In 1852 Stephen Charman purchased 160 acres bounded by Charman Rd and Balcombe Road in an area called Spring Grove , later Cheltenham. A spring ran through the land providing a good source of water. Stephen aged 21 years had arrived in Melbourne 1842 as one of Henry Dendy’s emigrants . His Ship passage was paid by the Colonial Land and Emigration Commission and in return he was required to work on the land of the Henry Dendy Special Survey Brighton 1841.
However Henry Dendy could not provide enough work for all the emigrants that arrived and Stephen had to obtain other work. Then sadly his young wife Harriett and their infant died. 1850 Stephen married widow Mary Gettens, a Publican in Little Collins Street, with 5 children. Stephen & Mary built a wattle and daub hut and established a market garden producing marigolds for Martin & Pleasance Pharmacists, Melbourne. They had 7 more children and built a weatherboard cottage that was used for early Methodist Church services. Stephen donated 1 acre to the Methodist Church in 1855 for Chapel , School and Cemetery.

This is the weatherboard cottage in the photocopy showing the building extension, The road between Cheltenham and Mentone bears their name. Mary died in 1870 and Stephen remarried 1878 and died in Gippsland 1906. The original Photograph is endorsed by Francis Marie Ward , formerly Hopkins nee Charman who was the grandmother of Mr A.L Jones

Physical description

A photocopy of a black and white photograph of ‘Spring Grove’ , that was the first house in Charman Road , Cheltenham c1852 , showing later extensions.