A number of the children of Mason Gerard Stratford (a rather controversial figure:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/Colin/Misc/Stratfords/Stratfords12.html ) were baptised in Italy in 1850 (see familysearch.org), including a Charlotte and a Byron.
From newspaper records, Byron Stratford joined the Navy as a Clerk's Assistant in 1853, by 1861 was Assistant Paymaster on the Orlando.
In 1864 there was an accident at Tunis, on the 3rd November, when a cutter belonging to the HMS Orlando overturned in a squall; eight officers, three seamen, and a marine were lost, the coxswain being the only man saved. Byron Stratford, assistant paymaster, was among the deceased officers. He is listed as Hon. Byron Stratford in a death notice published in January 1865.
This does lend some weight to the connection between Florence Stratford in NZ and Charlotte Stratford the daughter of Mason Gerard Stratford. Newspaper records also show that three of the sons were in Leghorn and in some trouble in 1851/2 relating to some secret society hostile to the Tuscan government and connected with Mazzini (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Mazzini ): Henry, called "Lord Aldborough", aged 23, sentenced to 10 years (originally sentenced to death), Charles, set free (originally sentenced to a year's imprisonment), Edward, 19, sentenced to 6 years (originally sentenced to death)
One record mentions that although they were considered the sons of the Earl of Aldborough during his lifetime, they were never able to prove their legitimacy, and were left "without much resource" upon his death. Another mentions that although "Lady Aldborough", their mother, was at home when their residence was raided in 1851, two daughters had just a fortnight before been sent to England.
One of the daughters is probably Olivia Stratford, in later censuses in England born Belgium, and listed among those christened in 1850. Another record from 1852 mentions "Lady O", one of two supposed daughters of the Earl of Aldborough, regarding poor treatment at the Sisters of Mercy in Plymouth, after they had arrived there from Italy.
A Charltte Stratford appears on NZ passenger immigration lists in 1865 at familysearch but the site is misbehaving right now so I can't access the full details.
