BIO: During the research into the Prosser family name, we were unable to locate the record of the birth of Charles Henry Prosser.

 His marriage certificate states he was born in Heathcote in 1860 to parents Charles Henry Charman and Sarah Prosser. i.e. he was not born a Prosser. Other information in this certificate includes the fact that his father was a butcher by profession.

Research in local papers and trade directories indicate the existence of a butcher in Heathcote at this time by the name Charles Sharman, who with his wife Sarah nee Clark, had a son born to them in 1860 called Charles Henry Sharman. The birth certificate for Charles Henry Sharman states that his parents were married in Richmond, Victoria on the 28th of August 1856 and there was also a previous female child living.

The birth certificate of Isabella Louisa Sharman states that her parents (Charles and Sarah Ann Sharman (formerly Clark) were married in Dudley, Staffordshire England 16th January 1853. We have been unable to locate this marriage, but another marriage for Sarah Clark on this date has been located. There may have been an attempt to legitimize the relationship between them.

It is interesting to note that a witness to the marriage of Charles Henry Prosser to Eliza Jane Bredin was Isabel Louisa Thornton (formerly Prosser) Charles sister.

      The marriage certificate of Isabella Luisa Prosser state's categorically that although she went by the name Prosser, she was previously known by the surname Sharman.

     The early life of Charles Henry Prosser is not yet known but at the age of almost 35 years (fifteen days short), Charles Henry Prosser, now living at Heatherton and working as a market gardener, married Eliza Jane Bredin of Tarwin, Gippsland on the 12th of May 1894 at 430 Bourke St Melbourne.

 Shortly after there marriage, their names appear on the new subdivision of land at Koonwarra near Tarwin. Only one child was born to Charles Henry Prosser, Harry Hutson at Cheltenham in 1895.

Cheltenham and Heatherton

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Koonwarra

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 Little else is yet known, but that latter in life, he suffered from debilitating arthritis and was remembered by his grandchildren as a very fine cook. Charles Henry Prosser (Sharman) spent the final years of his life with his son and family at Krowera before dying in the Wonthaggi Hospital in 1930. At the time of his death, his son Harry was in hospital with pneumonia. Charles Henry Prosser lies buried in an unmarked grave in the Leongatha cemetery next to his wife Eliza. The Prosser family at the time was unable to find the money for burial, so hard were the times of the depression. The money was eventually donated by a Rupert Morris, a friend of the family at Koonwarra from whom Harry had rented land for onion farming and began his family life in a tent.

Current research indicates that a Sarah Prosser nee Clark, did come to Australia as the wife of John PROSSER. She was indeed married on the 16th January 1853, St Edmunds Church, Dudley, Worcester.

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