Kent - Folkestone: Muritai, 17 Millfield

Muritai, 17 Millfield, was a semi-detached house in Folkestone which was the home of Julius Sladden’s widowed younger sister, Charlotte Hayward (1849-1918), known to the family as Aunt Lottie.

On marrying John Hayward in 1893 when in her forties, John and Charlotte had made their home at Radnor Park Road, Folkestone.  On John’s death in 1905, Charlotte moved to 17 Millfield where she remained until her death in 1918.  In 1906, Charlotte went with her niece, May, on a trip to New Zealand to visit their many Sladden relatives who lived there.  The Folkestone house was undoubtedly named Muritai after her visit to New Zealand, as Muritai is a place in the Wellington district of North Island, close to where the Sladden family lived.

The Sladdens were very fond of Aunt Lottie and she often received visits from the family.