Faith Pickard was baptised at Thorp Arch on 14 October 1699, the daughter of Elias Pickard. To establish this simple fact took me years of intermittent research, threw me into complete confusion, and led me to an investigation into the affairs of Thorp Arch parish which I will post in due course.
Faith was the eldest daughter and second child of Elias and his wife Alice. By the time of her marriage she was living at Pannal, near Harrogate, about 17 km away from her family. There was a family of Pickards living in Pannal who were tenants of the Earl of Harewood: perhaps they were Faith’s relations and this might explain why she was living there.
She and Mark were married by licence, probably because they came from different parishes. Mark came from Headingley in Leeds, and they were married at Leeds parish church. However, they settled in Pannal. Here their seven children were baptised and, sadly, one was buried.
I have found no burial record for Faith, but her husband may be the Mark Bell buried in 1790 at nearby Knaresborough. He was described as a “yeoman” and his age is the only one to be recorded – and no wonder! He was 90 years old.
Mother of Joshua Bell and daughter of Elias and Alice Pickard
Baptised “Fides” Pickard on 14 October 1699 at Thorp Arch, Wetherby, Yorkshire
Married Mark Bell on 22 February 1724
No record of death found