He was the eldest son of Thomas Newman (c. 1813 – 15 September 1881) and his wife Elizabeth, née Pomeroy (c. 1813 – 18 May 1888), who emigrated to South Australia on the barque Baboo, arriving in March 1840, and was at first engaged in farming,[1] then opened a grocery store in Thebarton.
Charles was born at Alberton and as a young man was converted to Wesleyan Methodism, and was associated with the Thebarton Methodist church.
His first year he served in Wallaroo, followed by Port Adelaide (1866–1867), when he initiated work on a new church at Lefevre Peninsula.
He was next in Goolwa, then Angaston, Yankalilla (1870–1871), Mount Gambier (1872–1875),[4] Kent Town, Clare (–1881), Kadina (1881–), Brompton, Norwood, and Glenelg.
In 1902, at his request, he was transferred to New South Wales and was put in charge of the Darling Street, Balmain church, followed by the Parramatta (1903–1905) then Burwood circuits.