THE PICKARD FAMILY FROM SHEFFIELD

I came across the following family when I was researching a different aspect of my family history. The following table shows the family in 1881 living in "Cocked Hat Ironmonger Shop. This was next door to the Cocked Hat Public House which incidentally still exists and is listed in the current directory as 59 Worksop Road Sheffield.  

Dwelling 61 Cocked Hat Ironmonger Shop             Census Place: Attercliffe Cum Darnall, York, England

 FHLF 1342128 PRO Ref RG11 Piece/Folio 4667/151 Page 37

Charles SKELTON   Head   M   Male   37   Attercliffe, York, England   Shovel Maker Employing 8 Men (Ag Imp) 
 Helena SKELTON   Wife   M   Female   26   Manchester    
 Samuel Robt. SKELTON   Son      Male   4   Attercliffe, York, England    
 Jennie SKELTON   Dau      Female   2   Attercliffe, York, England    
Harriet E. SKELTON   Dau      Female   1   Attercliffe, York, England    
Emma TAYLOR  Servant      Female   15   Attercliffe, York, England   Domestic Servant 

As the Census states Charles was born in Sheffield in the March quarter of 1844 (PRO Ref: Volume 22 Page 552). However his marriage did not take place until the September quarter of 1874 by which time Charles was 30. He married HELENA EDES in Lancaster, Lancashire (PRO Ref: Volume 8e Page 951) but it is apparent from the birth of their children that they started married life in Sheffield  

The same 1881 Census also reveals another family, only this time living in Leeds, West Yorkshire.   

Dwelling 8 Consort Terrace, Leeds, York, England ( FHLF 1342091 PRO Ref RG11 Piece/Folio 4534/7 Page 9

Walter PICKARD  Head   M   Male   25   Armley, Leeds, York, England   Stone Merchant
 Mary PICKARD  Wife   M   Female   25   Dudley, Stafford, England    
 Percy PICKARD  Son      Male   2   Leeds, York, England   
 Mary THOMPSON  Serv      Female   22   Clifford, York, England  General Servant  

WALTER in turn was the son of WILLIAM and HARRIET PICKARD who appear in the 1871 Census as living at

Dwelling 2 Warwick Street, Leeds, York, England ( PRO Ref RG10 Piece/Folio 4565 Page 150/57/169)

William PICKARD  Head   M   Male   44  Leeds, York, England  Stone Merchant employing 9men-4boys
Harriet PICKARD  Wife   M   Female   45   Leeds, York, England    
Elizabeth PICKARD  Dau    Male   20  Leeds, York, England   
Walter PICKARD  Son   Female   15  Leeds, York, England Clerk to Stone Merchant
Mary A Britton Serv   Female  16 Burley. Leeds  General Servant  

Harriet's maiden name was NEWBY, the marriage having taken place in the March quarter of 1849 in Leeds (PRO Ref: Volume 23 Page 414). Even in 1871 the family could be said to have a fairly substantial business.

The marriage of WALTER and MARY took place in Leeds on 20th June 1878 - The Leeds Mercury (Leeds, England), Tuesday, July 2, 1878; Issue 12551 gave the following notice


 

and on 10th March 1879 WALTER and MARY had a son PERCY who was born at Clarence Villa Potternewton (Source Births - The Leeds Mercury (Leeds, England), Saturday, March 15, 1879; Issue 12770). It is interesting to note that in the preceding months WALTER and MARY placed a number of advertisements in the Leeds Mercury to let Clarence Villa - "Scholebroke Gardens, Chapeltown Road, Kitchen, Dining and Drawing Rooms on Ground Floor. The Cheapest House in Leeds. Rent £10 Apply Walter Pickard" 

The Skelton's eldest daughter JENNIE married PERCY PICKARD in the June quarter of 1899 in Leeds (PRO Ref: Volume 9b Page 1038). Both would have been 20 at the time. It appears that they settled down in the Handsworth / Darnall district of Sheffield. The 1901 Census shows that PERCY earning his living as both his father and grandfather did - as a Stone Merchant albeit this time in Sheffield rather than Leeds. The Census also reveals that had started a family with the birth of a daughter HELENA on 13th October 1900. 

Dwelling 27 Industry Road, Darnall, Sheffield, York, England (PRO Ref RG13 Piece/Folio 4386 Page 1)

Percy PICKARD 22  Head   Male  Leeds, York, England  Stone Merchant    
Jennie PICKARD 22  Wife  Female  Attercliffe, York, England   
HELENA MARY PICKARD 1  Dau  Female Darnall, York, England   
Annie STEEL 20 Serv Female Sheffield, York England Domestic Housemaid 

The same 1901 Enumerator's sheet shows that Percy's mother and father Walter and Mary were living on the same road at number 15. WALTER PICKARD was still a Stone Merchant and was classified as an Employer as was his son PERCY. They too also still had a servant on the premises, a Annie Allen (21) who is described as a Domestic Housemaid.

Percy's eldest daughter HELENA PICKARD became an actress in both films and theatre.

A son WALTER JOHN PICKARD was born in the September quarter of 1905 (PRO Ref:Vol9C Page 705). He became Group Captain WALTER  J. PICKARD during the 1939 - 1945 war and was in charge of the RAF Transport Command station at Lyneham in Wiltshire. Towards the end of the war he commanded a base in the USSR that was charged with providing air transport services for the historic Yalta Conference of 1945. After the was he worked for Mecca Ltd and was awarded the O.B.E.

There were also two daughters MARJORIE and NANCY (details not known) and a son born in 1915 CHARLES PERCY PICKARD. 

CHARLES "PICK" PICKARD was to become "one of the truly great characters of the 1939-45 Air War"

Return To Main Homepage

This page was last updated on 18/03/08 09:56