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Charles Nelmes who was bapt in Slimbridge, Gloucs in 1828 later lived in Lydney with his wife Hester. In the 1861 Census for Lydney, Charles and Hester were living in Newerne, Lydney.However in the 1871 Census Charles was no longer included and Hester was by now a Widow.
The problem I am having is that there does not appear to be any record of Charles's burial either in Lydney or elsewhere,that includes a thorough search made on Ancestry.com.
I have been considering the possibility that he may have been drowned in the River Severn and the body was never recovered,a bit desperate I know but I would very much like to know what became of him. Does anyone have any ideas?

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Hi Tutill, I have searched for the death of Charles Nelmes, Lydney and found one possible which you might be able to confirm. He was born living in Arlingham which is opposite Newnham Gloucester shire. A Charles Nelmes Died in Gloucester in 1907 if you check census 1901 he was living in lower Westgate srtreet Gloucester as a Lodger.He was aged 73 so add 6 years that makes 79 years old when he died now deduct 79 from 1907 you get 1828. He was Buried in Thornbury Gloucestershire This is the only one i could match for you, i assume he may have left his wife or simply went missing, Divorce i don`t think was available then. If you would like more family information i collected just ask me. Donald

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Hi Tutill, I have searched for the death of Charles Nelmes, Lydney and found one possible which you might be able to confirm. He was born living in Arlingham which is opposite Newnham Gloucester shire. A Charles Nelmes Died in Gloucester in 1907 if you check census 1901 he was living in lower Westgate srtreet Gloucester as a Lodger.He was aged 73 so add 6 years that makes 79 years old when he died now deduct 79 from 1907 you get 1828. He was Buried in Thornbury Gloucestershire This is the only one i could match for you, i assume he may have left his wife or simply went missing, Divorce i don`t think was available then. If you would like more family information i collected just ask me. Donald

Donald
Thanks very much for that information, I had not previously looked at the 1901 Census for Gloucester but it does seem to fit in with previous records of 1861 and 1881.

I the 1861 Census for St Nicholas (Westgate) area of Gloucester City there was a Charles Nelmes aged 32 years living with parents William and Ann, his occupation was a Soldier. However he appears to have been included in two Census returns that year because a Charles Nelmes aged 32 years born in St Marys (Westgate) area of Gloucester was included as a Drummer in the 1/8th Regiment at Gosport Barracks in Hampshire.

In the 1881 Census for St Nicholas area of Gloucester, Charles appears aged 49 years with place of birth given as unknown.On this occasion he was a General Labourer, and a lodger which leads me to believe that his landlord who would have completed the Census return did not have correct information to hand when Census Return was completed.

After all that unfortunately I have concluded that the above Charles cannot be my Great Great Grandfather, a shame really because he seems quite an interesting character. Thanks anyway

My Great Great Grandfather Charles Nelmes did live in Arlingham in 1841 and was a son of John and Mary Nelmes. He was in fact baptised at Slimbridge.In 1851 he appears to have crossed the River Severn and was included in 1851 Census for Westbury on Severn with Anthony Bennett and family.The next record I have of him was when he married my Great Great Grandmother Esther Shepherd(nee Stibbs) at Lydney in 1853. Esther was the widow of Alexander Shepherd who died in Lydney in 1851.

Tuthill

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Hi Tuthill, I do agree with you but there was a chance, when using dates they are not always accurate as we assume they are, water was a pollution hazard in that period so that might be what killed him, i believe he had a Son called Thomas b 22.10.1833 he died aged 7 21.12.1841 maybe from similar cause?. I wish you all the best in your search.
Donald

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Hi Tuthill, I do agree with you but there was a chance, when using dates they are not always accurate as we assume they are, water was a pollution hazard in that period so that might be what killed him, i believe he had a Son called Thomas b 22.10.1833 he died aged 7 21.12.1841 maybe from similar cause?. I wish you all the best in your search.
Donald

Don

Thanks again for your efforts it is certainly a possibility. Thomas however was not one of Charles sons, he had three sons Samuel, James and George who were all baptised in Lydney. I will keep trying to find out what happened to Charles and it's good to know I've got some help.

Bye for now. Tuthill.

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Hi Donald

Thanks very much for the info re Heritage Site. I did look at the family trees
regarding Charles Nelmes but they did not unfortunately give any details regarding the
death of Charles, except to say that he died in Lydney??

I really appreciate your help and you certainly enlightened me in giving me
info re other areas to research.

Cheers
Tuthill.

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Afternoon Tuthill
My name is Alison Stacey and Charles Nelmes is my GGGGrand father through a line traced back from my Grandmother Mabel Elizabeth Maull [nee Nelmes].
I too am having the same dilemma as you are in tracing Charles' death.
I agree with you on his birth in Slimbridge to John Nelmes and Mary [Willis?]and yes, Esther was a widow by the 1871 census . I was sending for the GRO certificate for a Chipping Sodbury death in 1867 but he is cited as 59, so it does not tie in with his birth which I believe is correct.
I am in the process of trying to find more on John Nelmes but I believe he died in Eastington Workhouse in 1877.

I am going to look at the children from this marriage of John and Mary. I know that Charles and Esther had 3 children from their marriage - I am a direct descendant from Samuel Nelmes and you are related to either George or James.
I will update on my findings but also keep me informed
Cheers

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Ancestry has this records - which at the moment I can't find on the Gloucester Record Office site

Not sure if it 'your' Charles

Charles NELMES, England & Wales, Criminal Register,

Name: Charles NELMES

Age: 14

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1828

Date of Trial: 4 July 1842

Trial Year: 1842

Location of Trial: Gloucestershire, England

Sentence: Imprisonment

(reading the entry Charles was sentenced to 12 months for Larceny

1841 Census, Arlingham

NELMS

John - 45 Ag Lab
Emma - 15
Charles - 13
David 10

---

Baptisms at Slimbridge, John (labourer) & Mary

Emanuel - 27 September 1818
George - 21 January 1821
Ann - 1 September 1822
Eliza - 17 October 1824
Emily - 17 September 1826
Charles - 17 September 1828
David - 4 April 1830

---

There is an Anne NELMES buried at Slimbridge, 14 December 1814 aged 65

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As the last child of John & Mary was christened in 1828 at Slimbridge - not sure if this is John NELMES - now in Arlingham

Gloucestershire Prison Records (Ancestry)

John NELMES - aged 34 - committed Dec 4, 1830 by John SAYER Clerk, charged on the oath of the Parish of Eastington, with having stolen part of a sirloin of beef value 4s the property of the said Thomas GWINNEL on Friday the 3rd September last in the Parish of Arlingham. Imprisoned for 6 months.

Gloucestershire Records Office gives his age as 54 - from Arlingham - but the copy on Ancestry reads 34 years

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Looking for family names:

And in particular, Emanuel - christened 27 September 1828 at Slimbridge..

There is an Emmanuel NELMES christed 25 December 1826 at Berkeley - parents, Emmanuel NELMES and Sarah.

Emanuel NELMES christened at Berkeley, 17 September 1799 father: John

Emmanuel born 1826 - also has a Prison record

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Thankyou MP Griffiths I would think that the prison record for John Nelmes could well refer to my ancestor who lived at Arlingham and who was born in the mid 1790s in Berkeley. His father was also John. As regards Charles Nelmes's prison record, there was another Charles Nelmes of the

same year of birth living in Westgate Street area of Gloucester. He later joined the Army and was staioned at Gosport, Hants in 1851.
PS. I've OFTEN WONDERED WHERE THE FAMILY JEWELS CAME FROM.

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Hello Alison, I have just read your message by luck as I had given up expecting any more info
about Charles. I am a great grandson of James Nelmes the brother of your ancestor Samuel. My grandfather the son of James and Lucy was also called Charles. In fact the name Charles has been carried down to two further generation since my grandfather.

Just before I read your message I had been looking back on previous burial records for Arlingham and by coincidence there were two unidentified men buried at Arlingham in 1870 and
I am sure there would have been many more due to the treacherous nature of the River Severn.
Arlingham is just across the other side of the Severn from Lydney.

Thinking back to Esther describing herself as a Widow in the 1871 Census I'm wondering what
the procedure would be for a grieving wife to register herself a a widow in those days.If anyone has any ideas I would be interested.

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Afternoon and happy new Year.
I am still on the trail of Charles Nelmes, and have even spent time revisiting previous research done. Sorry but I have nothing more to add to our previously deliberations.
We are looking for a death between the conception of George around 1857 and the census of 1871. At yet nothing but I will update here

Alison

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Have you been to Gloucester record office? searched indexes etc? or newspapers for deaths?
There was a lot of "traffic" across the Severn in that area with small boats and ferries operating, but as you say his death apparently not recorded, which is odd. If he had been transported/locked up wife might have described herself as a widow. Have you checked emigration records to America?

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Have you been to Gloucester record office? searched indexes etc? or newspapers for deaths?
There was a lot of "traffic" across the Severn in that area with small boats and ferries operating, but as you say his death apparently not recorded, which is odd. If he had been transported/locked up wife might have described herself as a widow. Have you checked emigration records to America?

I agree that seems to be the only way I am likely to get a result, so when I get the opportunity I will arrange to visit Gloucester Archives . I'll try their Index system first otherwise it will be a long haul looking through newspapers over a period of ten years.
Thanks for you advise.

Tuthill.

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