A birth Cert might help, I guess it realy depends how deeply the family was prepared to go if a "skeleton" needed to be hidden - assuming Joseph is not the Father.

Its always possibly Joseph had a pet name of Tom or Thomas, perhaps his middle name ?? The first born son was also called Thomas (?)

Year: 1870
Month: Apr
Day: 21
Grooms_Surname: COLES
Grooms_Forenames: Joseph
Grooms_Age: 39
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Miner
Grooms_Residence: Lydbrook
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Coles
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: James
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Brides_Surname: WILLIAMS
Brides_Forenames: Harriett
Brides_Age: 32
Brides_Condition: Widow
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Lydbrook
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Jarrett
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Fisherman
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: [not stated]
Signature_or_Mark: He marks she signs
Witness_1: Philip Phelps
Witness_2: Matilda Hiley
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: William Barker Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/7
Page_Number: 8
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook

COLES Maurice
COLES WILLIAMS
1870 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, Newnham 32 259

1871 Lydbrook hill
Joseph Cole abt 1832 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean Gloucestershire
Harriett Cole abt 1838 English Bicknor Wife East Dean Gloucestershire
Morris Coles abt 1868 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean
Ezabela Cole abt 1863 Whitchurch Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire

1881 Lydbrook Coppice, Westbury On Severn - East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Joseph Cole abt 1831 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Head Marr
Isabele Cole abt 1864 Whitchurch, Hereford, England Daughter
James Cole abt 1874 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son
Thomas Cole abt 1871 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son

1891 Lydbrook
Joseph Cole abt 1829 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Head West Dean Gloucestershire Widow
James Cole abt 1874 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean Gloucestershire
Jamima Cole abt 1832 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Sister West Dean Gloucestershire

The URLs of the photos often change as new photos are added but if you go to the Lydbrook section of the Photo Gallery you will find the photo there, it is titled 'Knight and Cole Wedding' and is currently on page 3.
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/gallery/lydbrook/

I am trying to trace the subsequent owners of land and houses given to my relative Joseph Cole by his father James Cole of Moorwood Coppice , in his will dated 1877 .
How would I go about doing this ?
Also , where is Moorwood Coppice ? I can see Moorwood on an old map , but Coppice is not marked .
I am thinking I will have to go to Glos Record Office maybe .
Any help would be gratefully received !

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=5868

The Coppice here
http://www.geograph.org.uk/showmap.php?gridref=SO6016

You could share the names on here from the will and maybe we can track down the land/houses for you
otherwise maps held at GRO or possible Dean Heritage might help. http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=39781

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

James Cole b.1791 (Ruardean) married to Hannah Morgan b.1793 (Ruardean).They had 14 children. On the 1851 census it states that James is a Chelsea Pensioner. Does anyone know anything about his military career.

No but he would have been serving around the time of the Napoleonic Wars circa 1811

Wellington's best known battle and
resulted in the final defeat of Napoleon and
peace in Europe for 99 years, shaped
modern Europe

‘Did more than any other battle I know
towards the true object of all battles – the
peace of the world.' Duke of Wellington

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=thread&id=15146

The Glosters http://www.glosters.org.uk/ have a :-

Cole, James - Statement of Service
Surname: Cole
First Name: James
SERVICE DETAILS
Service Number: 182

might be him

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