Whilst clearing up part of Abenhall Churchyard on Monday I was able to piece together a much broken and part buried headstone with the following inscription.

.?? remembrance of Ann DOBSON the beloved wife of Arthur DOBSON formerly widow of James NELMES who died March 29th 1905 aged 71 years. Peace let her rest, God knoweth best.

Also of Daniel NELMES son of the above who died Jan 29th 1919 aged 56 years Rest in Peace

A quick look at various records show up some interesting details, I'll leave those for others to post and see what else turns up

Year: 1905
Month: Apr
Day: 3
Surname: DOBSON
Forenames: Ann
Residence: Shapridge
Age_at_death: 67 years
Officiating_Minister: E Cargill
Event:
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P1 IN 1/11
Page_No: 89
Parish_Chapel: Abenhall

Whilst clearing up part of Abenhall Churchyard on Monday I was able to piece together a much broken and part buried headstone with the following inscription.

.?? remembrance of Ann DOBSON the beloved wife of Arthur DOBSON formerly widow of James NELMES who died March 29th 1905 aged 71 years. Peace let her rest, God knoweth best.

Also of Daniel NELMES son of the above who died Jan 29th 1919 aged 56 years Rest in Peace

A quick look at various records show up some interesting details, I'll leave those for others to post and see what else turns up

Year: 1905
Month: Apr
Day: 3
Surname: DOBSON
Forenames: Ann
Residence: Shapridge
Age_at_death: 67 years
Officiating_Minister: E Cargill
Event:
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P1 IN 1/11
Page_No: 89
Parish_Chapel: Abenhall

1901
Arthur Dobson abt 1861 Herefordshire, England Head East Dean, Gloucestershire
Ann Dobson abt 1841 Ross, Herefordshire, England Wife East Dean, Gloucestershire
Daniel Dobsonabt 1867 East Dean Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Ann Maemes [NELMES] abt 1881 East Dean Wifes Daughter East Dean, Gloucestershire

1891 Shapridge
Arthur Dobson abt 1862 Ross, Herefordshire, England Head East Dean, Gloucestershire Coal Miner
Ann Dobson abt 1834 Ross, Herefordshire, England Wife East Dean, Gloucestershire
Daniel Nelmes abt 1864 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Stepson East Dean, Gloucestershire
Charlotte Dobson abt 1866 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean, Gloucestershire
Reuben Dobsonabt 1875 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Amelia Nelmes abt 1887 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Stepdaughter East Dean, Gloucestershire

1881
Ann Nelmes abt 1833 Ross, Hereford, England Head Westbury on Severn - East Dean, Gloucestershire
John Nelmes abt 1860 Sharpridge Son Westbury on Severn - East Dean, Gloucestershire
Daniel Nelmes abt 1863 Sharpridge Son Westbury on Severn - East Dean, Gloucestershire
Rubin Nelmes abt 1875 Sharpridge Son Westbury on Severn - East Dean, Gloucestershire
Annie Nelmes abt 1880 Sharpridge Daughter Westbury on Severn - East Dean, Gloucestershire

1871 Shapridge
James Nelmes 37
Ann Nelmes 37
Alfred Nelmes 14
John Nelmes 11
Daniel Nelmes 9
C Elizabeth Nelmes 6
George Nelmes 3

Marriage :-
NELMES James
BULLOCK Ann
Gloucester Gloucester St Mark
1855 31 No 1 406

1851
Ann Bullock abt 1833 Ross, Herefordshire, England East Dean, Gloucestershire

1851 Shapridge
James Nelmes abt 1800 Abinghall, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean, Gloucestershire
Jane Nelmes abt 1806 Abinghall, Gloucestershire, England Wife East Dean, Gloucestershire
James Nelmes abt 1833 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Charlot Nelmes abt 1836 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean, Gloucestershire
Jane Nelmes abt 1838 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean, Gloucestershire
Charles Nelmes abt 1845 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
George Nelmes abt 1847 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire

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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

Record_ID: 107966
Entry_Number: 497
Year: 1952
Month: Sep
Day: 30
Surname: DOBSON
Forenames: Arthur
Residence: Westbury Hall
Age_at_death: 91 years
Officiating_Minister: Tom T Haines Vicar
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes: 38/52 written in margin
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/16
Page_No: 63
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John
Soundex: D125

Searching this site for Westbury Hall shows it wasn't the grand house I'd hoped to find, altho to be fair it had also been known as Number One, Westbury.
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=thread&id=24456

Marriage Details

Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
DOBSON Arthur NELMES Charlotte Elizabeth Ann Gloucester Gloucester St Mark 1883 31 No 4 420
DOBSON Arthur BULLOCK Charlotte Elizabeth Ann Gloucester Gloucester St Mark 1883 31 No 4 420
http://ww3.gloucestershire.gov.uk/bmd/SimpleSearch.aspx

Here are the details of the marriage of Arthur DOBSON and Charlotte Elizabeth Ann NELMES(nee BULLOCK) in St Mark's Gloucester

It seems they were both flexible with their age details, with a couple of years added for him and around 12 years off for her!!

I still have not worked out why she is now Charlotte Elizabeth Ann as her baptism in 1833 records her as just Ann

Entry_Number: 420
Year: 1883
Month: Oct
Day: 24
Grooms_Surname: DOBSON
Grooms_Forenames: Arthur
Grooms_Age: 25
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Collier
Grooms_Residence: Counsel Street
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: DOBSON
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: John
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Brides_Surname: NELMES
Brides_Forenames: Charlotte Elizabeth Ann
Brides_Age: 38
Brides_Condition: Widow
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Counsel Street
Brides_Fathers_Surname: BULLOCK
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: John
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: X Both their marks
Witness_1: Thomas Murray X his mark
Witness_2: Mary Jane Bullock X her mark
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Edwd [?]W THOMAS, Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P154/1 IN 1/10
Page_Number: 210
Parish_Chapel: Gloucester, St Mark's

Re Ann apparently adding to her Baptised name, I have seen a few examples of this in my family tree, with son's taking their father's forename too, for example, in later Census's. In my case for no obvious reason such as commemorating the father's recent death, say.

Charlotte was a popular name in Victorian Dean, including several Nelmes I see.
Perhaps this example is a relation of your Ann ?

Record_ID: 891
Entry_Number: 120
Year: 1864
Month: Nov
Day: 6
Parents_Surname: NELMES
Child_Forenames: Charlotte Elizabeth
Fathers_Forenames: James
Mothers_Forenames: Ann
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: East Dean
Occupation: Wood Collier
Officiating_Minister: John Senior
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P1 IN 1/8
Page_Number: 15
Parish_Chapel: Abenhall
Soundex: N452

Mother Ann was previously a Bullock according to GlosBMD;

Birth Details

Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
NELMES Charlotte Elizabeth NELMES NELMES BULLOCK 1864 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, Newnham 25 193

Is it perhaps possible you have mixed-up mother and daughter ? Sadly I cannot see a full Marriage Record on this site for James & Ann to further clarify things.

That said, I now see this Charlotte is shown in the 1871 Shapridge Census posted at start of thread, so ??

Charles Nelmes in the 1851 Shapridge census is my great-grandfather who emigrated to western Massachusetts, USA. I shall have to work on unraveling all this.

Hi, Ann Dobson's husband Arthur was a distant relative and we would be interested in finding any gravestone that might still be there. Do you happen to know what happened to the broken pieces, are they in a place which is likely to be found at all? Any help please would be much appreciated. Thanks:)

The 4 pieces of the gravestone are still in the Churchyard.

If you know it and are able to visit, then as you go through the gate to the church turn right and walk along by the boundary stone wall until you get to a large tree(about 20 yards), you should find the gravestone pieces behind the tree close to the wall.

Dave

Hi Dave, many thanks for your response it is most helpful. We are intending to travel down to the Dean very soon and will now know where in the area to look.
Thanks again
George & Sheila