Name and date of marriage Muriel Leo’s (nee Oliver, 1917-1998) Family Tree.

Charles was born in New Plymouth about two years after the family arrived.

Rachel Frances Oliver born 31 August 1940 claims Charles date of birth as 23 January 1843 in New Plymouth. She confirms date of death and adds he died at Tauranga, New Zealand.

Graeme Kenyon, whose great grandfather was James George Kenyon b.1861 (whose second wife was Ada Oliver b.1864, daughter of Samuel Oliver b.1833, AND, whose whose sister, Florence Kenyon, married James William Oliver, son of Charles Oliver Oliver b.1843), advises that Charles joined the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers at 17 years of age and served until the close of the wars, reaching the rank of colour sergeant.

Graeme goes on to say that Charles married Martha Allen (in New Plymouth by the Rev. C. Waters) and after the war, he received a land grant at Tikorangi, and some time after that shifting to Mangorei Road where they settled, farmed and raised a family - until 1909.

Graeme writes, “In 1899, Charles travelled to the Tauranga area to spend a few weeks with a friend, and liked the look of the land he saw. A large block of 820 acres was offered to him for sale and he decided to buy the land and shift his family to Tauranga. The block, called Bethlehem, was parcelled into blocks for each member of the family. Two of the sons moved immediately to Bethlehem to start breaking in the land - James William Oliver and family, and probably Charles Allen Oliver”.

“In 1909, Charles, wife Martha and youngest son Harold (then about 15) left Mangorei behind and moved permanently to Bethlehem”.

The Bay of Plenty Times on 6 January 1919 writing about Charles and Martha Golden Wedding wrote that Charles held the Maori War medal and also the Veteran’s Medal, having served for nearly 7 years.

Place of death from Cynthia Glover (nee Coleman), whose great-great-grandfather was William Samuel Allen b.1843. Charles’ wife, Martha Allen, was William's sister.

Brian of nzolivers.com recommends reading Cynthia’s book, “The Allen Family” first published in 2005. It is an enormous volume of over six hundred pages, full of genealogical detail, many stories, and many, many, photographs.

Charles’ wife, Martha Allen, is descendant from nobility on her father's side (William Allin/Allen). Martha's grandfather was Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl Stanhope, descendant from a long line of families including Stanhope/de Ifferley/de Colleville/Crispin and Pitt.

“The Allen Family” is recommended reading, especially to descendants of Charles and Martha (nee Allen) Oliver. There are eighty pages devoted to the Olivers. Charles and Martha had the following children:
- James William Oliver
- John Henry (Henry) Oliver
- Rachel Annie (Annie) Oliver
- Jessie May (May) Oliver
- Charles Allen (Allen) Oliver
- Lillian Emily Oliver
- Martha Daisy Oliver
- Harold Albert Oliver

Copies of “The Allen Family” are held at:
- The Puke Ariki Museum-Library in New Plymouth, New Zealand
- Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington, New Zealand
- The museum in Holdsworthy, Devon, England

In a telephone call on the 27 August 2021, Cynthia Glover advised Brian of nzolivers that copies for purchase, directly from her, are no longer available. There will not be another print run. Please see previous paragraph where copies are lodged.