Grewelthorpe

Pickard family

Here are some details about the Pickard family which lived in the Grewelthorpe area according to census returns and Parish records.

Researched by B.Bradley . Last update March 2026.
Please contact the site if you have any further information.


Letter from Elaine Williams. [Nov 2021]

Just been reading about my ancestors on your wonderful site.
John Pickard was my great grandad and John Robert Pickard was my grandad.
Both interred in Kirkby Malzeard cemetery.
Feeling so proud.
Many thanks.
Elaine Williams neè Pickard.


Thanks Elaine for information about her family.

ALFRED JAMES PICKARD. Born C. 1866 Grewelthorpe. Son of James Green [the Draper] & Mary Jane Tetley Married in 1891 to Mary Coldbeck [b.1863/5.] Living Potter Newton 1891. Living Grewelthorpe 1901. Alfred a joiner, carpenter.
Alfred emigrated to New Zealand with his wife and two children. They are buried in Dargaville. Thanks to Jennifer Demier for this New Zealand information. [Feb 2018].

ANNE PICKARD. Bap. 10.2.1770 Kirkby Malzeard. Living Grewelthorpe. Dau of William.
CHRISTOPHER PICKARD Born 1685. Son of John. Yeoman in Grewelthorpe. Will made 1741. Leaving everything to his wife. Died Nov 1750. Married to Eleanor Thwaits in Masham in 1716.
CHRISTOPHER PICKARD. Born C1720. Died 1769. Son of Christopher & Eleanor Thwaits. Farmer in Grewelthorpe. Married to Elizabeth.
DESMOND PICKARD Born 1930. Died 2016. Born at Ringbeck Farm. Son of John Robert & Alice Maud Ayres. In 1959 he married Hilda Forster Harrison.
ELIZABETH PICKARD Born 1781 Grewelthorpe. Died 1847 Sawley. Dau. of William [carpenter] & Eliz. Wood. In 1808 Married Thomas Stevenson.
ELIZABETH PICKARD. Born C. 1840 Ellingstring. Dau of Francis [Bee Hive Maker] & Ann Smith In Ellingstring 1851.
ELLEN PICKARD. Bap. 12.1.1773 Kirkby Malzeard. Living Grewelthorpe. Dau of William.
ELSIE MABEL PICKARD. Born C.1898 York. Died 1960 New Zealand* Dau of Alfred J. & Mary Coldbeck. Living Grewelthorpe in 1911. Married Pat Brydon. Had a dau. Gwenda.
EMILY BEATRICE PICKARD. Bap 8.8.1886 Grewelthorpe. Died 8.3.1945 London. Dau of John G. [engraver] & Mary Jane. Married William Holmes Cookshaw.
FRANCIS PICKARD. Born C. 1794 Middleham. Bee Hive Maker living Ellingstring in 1851. Married in 1831 to Ann Smith of Bolton.
FRANCIS PICKARD. Born C. 1828 Middleham. Son of Francis [Bee Hive Maker] & Ann Smith In Ellingstring 1851.
HENRY HERMAN PICKARD. Born 1896 Ripon. Died 1973 New Zealand. Son of Alfred J. & Mary Coldbeck Living Grewelthorpe 1901. In 1911 he was a Printers wood letter maker. Married Gladys Victoria Dingley. Had a dau. Yolande [1926-1994.] In 1922 he was a taxi driver. Lance Corporal in WW1.
JAMES GREEN PICKARD. Born C. 1844 Bradford. Son of William.[Gentleman]. Draper & Hosier. Married in 1864 to Mary Jane Tetley [b1845] in Bradford.
JANE PICKARD. Of Grewelthorpe married William Bell. of Masham on 16.4.1753 at Kirkby Malzeard church.
JANE PICKARD Of Grewelthorpe. Dau of Christopher. died 1768.
JANE PICKARD. Bap. 8.5.1784 Kirkby Malzeard. Living Grewelthorpe Died 1847. Dau. of William [carpenter] & Eliz. Wood.
JANE PICKARD. Born C. 1818 Grewelthorpe. Dau of William [b.1776]. Married to Thomas Hanley Harrison. [b1812] at Kirkby Malzeard church on 4.1.1844. [see Harrison page].
JANE PICKARD. Born C. 1833 Coverham. Servant for Jane & Thomas in 1851.
JOHN PICKARD. Bap. 31.8.1767 Kirkby Malzeard. Living Grewelthorpe. Carpenter. Son of William [carpenter] & Eliz. Wood. Married Isabella Gill. in 1808.
JOHN PICKARD. Yeoman of Grewelthorpe. Made will 23.3.1837. Proved 22.12.1837. Possibly the same John son of Wm.
JOHN GREEN PICKARD. Born C. 1839 Bradford. Son of William [schoolmaster] & Sarah. he was a copper plate engraver. Married Mary Jane James. b1864 of Snape. [Dau of Abraham & Mary James]. Lived Grewelthorpe 1891.
JOHN ROBERT PICKARD. Born C 1887.Kirkby Malzeard. Died 1952. Son of Robert & Martha of Ringbeck. Buried Kirkby Malzeard cemetery. Married Alice Maud Ayres of Home on Swale. Alice died 1953. In 1939 he was a coal bunker working at Ripon Camp.
KATE PICKARD. Born C. 1877 Bradford. Dau of James Green. [the draper] & Mary Jane Tetley.
MARIANNE PICKARD. Bap. 11.4.1779 Kirkby Malzeard. Living Grewelthorpe. Dau of William.
MARY JANE PICKARD. Born C. 1846 Bradford. Dau of William [schoolmaster] & Sarah.
MARY PICKARD. Born 1863/5 Fearby. Living in Grewelthorpe 1901. married to Alfred J. the Joiner. 2 children in 1901.
MAURICE PICKARD Born 1921. Died 1997. Son of John Robert & Alice Maud Ayres. In 1939 he was a butcher’s labourer. Married in 1945 to Mollie Pearson. of Leeds.

Maurice Pickard.


MIRIAM PICKARD Born C1717 Masham. Died 1794 Yafforth. Dau of Christopher & Eleanor Thwaits.
Married in 1738 in Masham to Robert Hodgson.
ROBERT PICKARD. Born C. 1838 Ellingstring. Son of Francis [Bee Hive Maker] & Ann Smith in Ellingstring in 1851.
ROBERT PICKARD. Born 1856 Downholm. Died 1901. Farmer at Ringbeck, Kirkby Malzeard. married to Martha. in 1880.Martha remarried after Robert’s death, date not known. Martha Coates. Interred in East Witton Cemetery Robert Buried Kirkby Malzeard cemetery.
ROBERT RAYMOND PICKARD Born 1917. Died 1961. Son of John Robert Alice Maud Ayres. In 1939 he was chauffeur.
SARAH PICKARD [NEE Green]. Born C. 1815 Bradford. Buried 28.11.1883 M.I. Grewelthorpe churchyard. Married to William the schoolmaster. See picture of grave under William.
SARAH MARY ELIABETH PICKARD. Born 21.12.1884 Bap. 22.2.1885 Grewelthorpe. Died 11.11.1930 Skipton. Dau of John G. [engraver] & Mary Jane.
Married Fred Harrison.
SYDNEY PICKARD Born 1919. Died 1978. Son of John Robert & Alice Maud Ayres. In 1939 a horseman on a farm in Melmerby.
WILLIAM PICKARD Born 1733 Grewelthorpe. Died C1808. Carpenter. Son of Christopher & Eleanor Thwaits. In 1766 Married Elizabeth Wood.
WILLIAM PICKARD. Bap. 17.4.1775 Kirkby Malzeard. Living Grewelthorpe. Carpenter. [Ref. 1851 census]. Buried 26.11.1858. Son of William. [see newspaper report below].
WILLIAM PICKARD. Born C. 1816 Grewelthorpe. Buried 24.6.1867. M.I. Grewelthorpe churchyard. A schoolmaster living in Grewelthorpe in 1861. Married in 1837 to Sarah Green [b.1815 Bradford]. See School pages in History section.

Grave of William & Sarah Pickard in Grewelthorpe churchyard.


Obituary of William Pickard in Richmond & Ripon Chronicle. 1867.
The late Mr. William Pickard was a native of Grewelthorpe in which village he spent the greater part of his life.
For many years he was the head of a private boarding school in his native village and by his kind treatment of his pupils and his anxious care for their improvement he endeared himself to both his pupils and their parents.
He was a true son of the Church of England and for some time presided at the organ in the Grewelthorpe church. For many years he was a member of the choir and for 2 years he was the vicar’s churchwarden.
He filled most of the parochial offices with ability and integrity, and to the entire satisfaction of the parish.
He was esteemed by a large circle of friends. He was a good husband, a kind and indulgent Father, a sincere friend and good Christian. He died on the 20th June, loved and deeply lamented. He was interred on the Feast of St. John the Baptist, in a vault under the West window of Grewelthorpe church. There he awaits the resurrection of the just.

WILLIAM PICKARD. Born C. 1841. Son of William [schoolmaster] & Sarah Green.
WILLIAM PICKARD 1878. Was an organist at Ripon Holy Trinity Church and he took in pupils. [Ref. Knaresborough Post 1878]


Notice in London Gazette May 11 1860.
Pursuant to a Decree of the High Court of Chancelry, made in a cause wherein John’ Anton is plaintiff, and William Pickard and others are defendants, the
creditors of William Pickard, late of -Grewelthorpe, in the
county of York, Carpenter, who’ died on or about the 13th
day of September, 1858, are by their Solicitors, on or. before
the 14th day of June. I860, to come in and prove their
debts at the chambers of the Vice-Chancellor Sir John Stuart,
No. 12, Old-square, Lincoln’s-inn, Middlesex, or in default
thereof they will be peremptorily excluded from the benefit
of the said Decree. Thursday, tlie 21st day of June,
1860, at twelve o’clock at noon, at the said chambers, is
appointed for hearing and adjudicating upon the said claims.
‘ Dated this 10th day of May, 1860.