Assuming Monmouth Union was the workhouse, could the note be something to do with money ? Always an issue in those times.

The transcript on the Forest of Dean records for John Ward, mother Elizabeth, states this was her 2nd illegitimate child.

There is a baptism at East Dean Methodist two years earlier
31 May 1885

Alfred John Albert WARD, mother Eliza

Residence : Hansley

Does the H in the second baptism stand for Hansley?

On Gloucestershire Records Office, 1885 baptism, the residence is transcribed as Hausley and Eliza is non-comformist.

These letters appear occasionally against other entries in the Register in the years around 1887. In at least one case they are entered as L.H. Rees. Usually, they are associated with a correction or addition to the entry. In the two cases in question, it might be the addition of “West Dean” to the original entries. There are newspaper references to L.H. Rees which indicate he was a senior curate at St Mary’s during the relevant time. His name appears as the officiating minister at many baptisms. He later became Vicar at Kirkdale, Yorkshire.