George Coleman SLADDEN (1840-1909)

George Coleman Sladden (1840-1909) was the eldest brother of Julius Sladden.

George Coleman Sladden was born at Ash near Sandwich in Kent on 26^th November 1840, the eldest of six children of John and Elizabeth Sladden.  He was baptized at St Nicholas’ Church, Ash, on 3^rd January 1841.  George was a boarder at The Grove School, Tonbridge, in 1851.

On leaving school, George became a mariner and travelled all over the world, notably to Tasmania where his younger brother, Dilnot, followed him in about 1860; Dilnot went on to settle in New Zealand.

On 7^th August 1878 at St John’s Church, Deptford, Kent, George married fellow Kentish woman, Elizabeth Potter (who was the sister of his brother Francis’ wife, Edith).  Some time after this, they moved to Scotland.  A transcription of a Merchant Navy crew list held at The National Archives reveals that George was Master of a steam vessel called “California”, which had been registered in Glasgow in 1879.  The 1881, 1891 and 1901 census returns for Scotland reveal that they lived at Walworth Terrace, 78 Kent Road, Barony, Lanarkshire.  Having been a master mariner, George was now described as a Marine Superintendent in the later census returns.

On retirement, the Sladdens returned to Kent in May 1904 where they settled at Petone, Church Path, Upper Deal, Kent.  Petone was a reference to Petone in New Zealand, a suburb of Lower Hutt, Wellington, where his brother, Dilnot, lived.  The name, Petone, from the Maori Pito-one, means "end of the sand beach" – perhaps not the most appropriate name for a house in Deal which has a pebble beach. 

On 17^th December 1904, George and Lizzie, together with their siblings, Francis and Edith Sladden, set sail from New South Wales, Australia, bound for Wellington, New Zealand.  After spending a few months there, they set sail from New South Wales on 15^th April 1905 bound for London.

George died at Deal on 7th December 1909 and was buried at Ash on 10^th December.  There is a reference in some of the letters to the family silver being shared out.  As the eldest son, George had presumably inherited the silver.  As he had no children, this was now being shared out amongst his brothers’ children after his death.  He left effects of £3770 14s 4d and his brother, Julius, was executor of the will.