The fourth and final evening of “Letters from a Badsey Family” comprised readings of letters from 1917-1919. A new cast member was Bernard Sladden of the 2nd Auckland Company (the Sladdens’ cousin from New Zealand), played by his great-great-nephew, Jonathan Miller – who came complete with an authentic “lemon-squeezer” hat!
1916 had been a sad year for the Sladdens with the death of Mrs Eugénie Sladden. The year ended with Cyril Sladden of the 9th Worcestershire Regiment about to go into battle again in Mesopotamia, Arthur Sladden about to be sent to a convalescent home in the south of France and George Sladden of the Civil Service Rifles being based “somewhere in France”. Meanwhile their siblings were back in Badsey or London undertaking valuable war work.
Profits from the evening went to The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal and The British Red Cross.
The next day, many Sladden descendants had the opportunity to visit Seward House, courtesy of the current owners. Seward House was home to the Sladdens for over a hundred years and many of the descendants had visited as children. Gillian Hepburn (90-year-old daughter of George Sladden) recalled driving from Durham with her parents each summer to visit.
