Thank you for the information. Jane Nelmes, who married Gilbert Randolph Wellington (of Lydney) and moved to Abertillery, was my maternal grandmother. I am still investigating her mother; there is a possibility that her name was Criddle.

Name: Abby Criddle
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1865
Registration district: Cardiff
Inferred County: Glamorgan, Monmouthshire
Volume: 11a
Page: 213

I'm not surprised that the Step Aside was at No. 27 Albert Street rather than 21. It was family lore that my great-grandfather Henry "Harry" Sterrey (d. 1926) had a fondness for the sauce and therefore bought No. 29 so that he stood a reasonable chance of finding his way home.

There's a photo on here in the gallery, at Lydney p. 23, with landlord John Sandford stood outside, wearing a hat. The wall that obscures part of the front elevation used to extend further up Albert Street at some height or another. If you look at Nos. 29 upwards now, the properties have a front yard open to the road. When I was a kid, the front yard was divided from the carriageway by the high wall, which had a doorway in it leading, if you weren't sharp, straight under someone's wheels. Wouldn't be allowed in a new build now!

Marlene Nelmes (whose parents ran the Step Aside Inn in Albert Street)

1901
George Nelmes abt 1858 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Head Lydney, Monmouthshire
Parthenia Nelmes abt 1862 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Wife Lydney, Monmouthshire
Albert Nelmes abt 1881 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Son Lydney, Monmouthshire
William Nelmes abt 1881 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Son Lydney, Monmouthshire
Ethel Nelmes abt 1884 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Lydney, Monmouthshire
May Nelmes abt 1886 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Lydney, Monmouthshire
Oscar Nelmes abt 1888 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Son Lydney, Monmouthshire

Year: 1904
Month: Feb
Day: 18
Grooms_Surname: NELMES
Grooms_Forenames: Charles William
Grooms_Age: 24
Groom_Condition: bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: tin worker
Grooms_Residence: Lydney
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: NELMES
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: George
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: tin worker
Brides_Surname: HILL
Brides_Forenames: Elizabeth
Brides_Age: 23
Brides_Condition: spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Whitecroft
Brides_Fathers_Surname: HILL
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: plate layer
Licence_or_Banns: banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: Frederick Hill
Witness_2: Ethel Maria Nelmes
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: D J Banham vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/22
Page_Number: 105
Parish_Chapel: Parkend

1911 17 Neweme St Lydney Glo
William C Nelmes 32
Elizabeth Nelmes 31
Frey M Nelmes 5
Blanche Nelmes 4
Phyllis E Nelmes 3
Leslie G Nelmes 2
Ernest F Nelmes 11

Name: James W Nelmes
Spouse : Eva R Organ
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1929
Registration district: Chepstow
Inferred County: Monmouthshire
Volume Number: 11a
Page Number: 18

Year: 1929
Month: Dec
Day: 31
Grooms_Surname: NELMES
Grooms_Forenames: James William
Grooms_Age: 25
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Tinplate Worker
Grooms_Residence: Aylburton
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Nelmes
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Tinplate Worker
Brides_Surname: ORGAN
Brides_Forenames: Eva Rubina
Brides_Age: 23
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Riflemans Arms
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Organ
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: William Thomas
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Licensed Victualler
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: Charles Nelmes
Witness_2: Ethel Organ
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: L P Jones Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN1/19
Page_Number: 57
Parish_Chapel: Lydney

Name: Marlene R Nelmes
Mother's Maiden Surname: Organ
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1937
Registration district: Chepstow
Inferred County: Monmouthshire
Volume Number: 11a
Page Number: 13

Although no longer a pub the Step Aside Inn has hardly altered in its appearance for a century or so. It is a twin gabled whitewashed building. There are three sash windows on the upper floor and between these are the embossed words 'THE STEP ASIDE INN' . The pub also retains its old central lamp. Unfortunately its fine front elevation is partly obscured by a high outside wall surrounding the property.

Map Reference: SO 636035

Owner in 1891: Mary Ann Atkinson (tied to Samuel F. Barnard)

Rateable value in 1891: £15.7s.6d.

Type of licence in 1891: Beerhouse

Owner in 1903: Mary Ann Atkinson (tied to Samuel F. Barnard)

Rateable value in 1903: £15.7s.6d.

Type of licence in 1903: Beerhouse

Closing time in 1903: 11pm

Present status: private residence

Heritage: ‘The Step Aside Inn’ in raised lettering

Landlords:

1891,1903 John Camm

1939 John E. Sandford

Although the parish records index on here gives another two or three Lydney candidates as the James Nelmes I'm about to refer to, the age (born 1894) looks about right for the Jim Nelmes in the 1952 photo at www.sungreen.co.uk/Lydney/Lydney_Cross_Group.html who was a member of Lydney Rural District Council at that time as well as a trained civil defence volunteer and landlord of the Cross Keys pub by Lydney Cross.

Also, Slowhands shows that the apparent father Guy Nelmes at his death in 1950 had the address 21 Albert Street, Lydney. I'm told by one of my living Lydney relatives that a family by the name of Nelmes ran the Step Aside Inn. This was pretty adjacent to 29 Albert Street where my grandmother's family (Sterrey) lived. I'm not sure what the exact number of the Step Aside was but you can still make out the embossment of the inn's name on the front wall.

Thus there's a possibility that licensed victualling ran in the blood of the family you're researching, but as a further cautionary note I should add that the spelling "Nelms" has also occurred in the area and I don't know the spelling for the Step Aside landlord.

? Parents of Jane Nelmes, born 1892, Lydney area, married G R Wellington in 1913.

The records section has these ...........

Year: 1894
Month: May
Day: 19
Parents_Surname: NELMES
Child_Forenames: Jane
Fathers_Forenames: Guy
Mothers_Forenames: Abigail
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Lydney
Occupation: Tin worker
Officiating_Minister: R.M.Turner
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: P[riva]te [in margin]
Notes:
Register_Reference: 851113
Page_Number: 86
Parish_Chapel: Lydney

Year: 1913
Month: May
Day: 12
Grooms_Surname: WELLINGTON
Grooms_Forenames: Gilbert Randolph
Grooms_Age: 21
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Tinplate worker
Grooms_Residence: Lydney
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Wellington
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Engine driver
Brides_Surname: NELMES
Brides_Forenames: Jane
Brides_Age: 21
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Lydney
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Nelmes
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Guy
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Tinplate worker
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: both sign
Witness_1: John Eden Sandfout[?]
Witness_2: Gladys Maud James
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: John C E Besant Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/17
Page_Number: 75
Parish_Chapel: Lydney

<><><><>

Year: 1865
Month: Nov
Day: 5
Parents_Surname: NELMES
Child_Forenames: Guy
Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Mothers_Forenames: Hannah
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Newerne
Occupation: Stocktaker
Officiating_Minister: B.Philpot Vicar
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: PFC209 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 121
Parish_Chapel: Lydney

Year: 1950
Month: Apr
Day: 19
Surname: NELMES
Forenames: Guy
Residence: 21 Albert St
Age_at_death: 84
Officiating_Minister: L P Jones Vicar
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/38
Page_No: 99
Parish_Chapel: Lydney

<><><><>

Year: 1902
Month: Aug
Day: 2
Surname: NELMES
Forenames: Abigail
Residence: Lydney
Age_at_death: 37
Officiating_Minister: J.C.E.Besant
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes: [Besant underlined]
Register_Reference: Lydney P209 IN 1/14
Page_No: 79
Parish_Chapel: Lydney

<><><><> confirmed by

1871 Whitchurch Cardiff
James Cridle 40
Elizabeth Cridle 44
Stephen Cridle 11
Noah Cridle 9
Abigail Cridle 6
Eli Cridle 4

1871 Lydney
Thomas Nelmes 33
Hannah Nelmes 32
Thomas Nelmes 10
Elizabeth Nelmes 8
Grey Nelmes 6
Mary A Nelmes 4
William Nelmes 1

Name: Guy Nelms
Spouse :Abby Criddle
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1886
Registration district: Cardiff
Inferred County: Glamorganshire
Volume Number: 11a
Page Number: 441

1891
Guy Nelmes abt 1866 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Head Lydney, Gloucestershire
Abigal Nelmes abt 1866 Witchurch, Glamorgan, Wales Wife Lydney, Gloucestershire
Stephen Nelmes abt 1886 Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales Son Lydney, Gloucestershire
Elizabet Nelmes abt 1888 Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales Daughter Lydney, Gloucestershire
Guy Nelmes abt 1889 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Son Lydney, Gloucestershire
James Nelmes abt 1891 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Son Lydney, Gloucestershire

Name: Jane Nelms
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1892
Registration district: Chepstow
Inferred County: Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire
Volume: 11a
Page: 13

1901
Guy Nelms abt 1866 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Head Lydney, Monmouthshire
Abegil Nelms abt 1866 Whitchurch, Gloucestershire, England Wife Lydney, Monmouthshire
Stephen Nelms abt 1887 Whitchurch, Gloucestershire, England Son Lydney, Monmouthshire
Guy Nelms abt 1890 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Son Lydney, Monmouthshire
Jane Nelms abt 1892 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Lydney, Monmouthshire
James Nelms abt 1894 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Son Lydney, Monmouthshire
Abegail Nelms abt 1895 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Lydney, Monmouthshire
Melinda Nelms abt 1897 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Lydney, Monmouthshire

Name: Guy Nelmes
Spouse: Ellen Caroline Guest
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1903
Registration district: Chepstow
Inferred County: Monmouthshire
Volume Number: 11a
Page Number: 21

1911
Guy Nelms 45
Ellen Caroline Nelms 44
Thomas Steven Nelms 24
William Guy Nelms 21
Jane Nelms 19
James Nelms 17
Abigail Nelms 15
Melenda Nelms 14
William Guest 20
Sidney Nelms 6
Ellen Nelms 4