Hi
Marion got back to me and confirmed a few things. Firstly, the marriage banns for Richard Imison and Margaret Pickard were read 4th, 11th and 18th July 1773 at Middleham. The actual marriage took place in Coverham. I asked her to check this and she said that she has personally transcribed the Coverham registers and this is so. My great x 4 grandfather was born in Middleham the following year and was baptised 16th may 1774. However, the entry gives the mother's name as Mary. Marion says she has a record that gives the mother's name as Margaret or Mary.
She has also found, to my delight, the marriage of my great x 4 grandparents Joseph Imison and Mary Dent on 22nd Feb 1804 at Holy Trinity Church, Coverham. I have been searching with no success. All of their children were baptised there beginning with Eliza the following year. I didn't know her maiden name before but now I know her father is either William Dent of Marrick or George Dent of Reeth. They were brothers who had daughters the same year with the same name one in April the other in August. Mary Imison was witness to a marriage of George Pickering and Edith Dent. She was William Dent's widow so is either Mary's mother or aunt. George Pickering was named as my great x 4 grandfather's executor. A Lot to sort out but the evidence is definitely leaning towards William and Edith being her parents.
Marion has advised me to join the Upper Dales Family History Group as there are a lot of people on there researching the Pickards.
Julie
I have been in contact with a descendant of James Pickard - the brother of Bartholomew (my line) and Francis Pickard (your line). She is also trying to verify what she has in her tree. It makes things a lot easier when others are researching the same family. Once I have established Mary's parents, I will be able to go a lot further. The paternal line will stay the same as the possible fathers are brothers but the maternal line will be different.
Julie