it is apparent from census data that pickingill lived with his parents from 1816 until the 1830s, although it is not stated where he was living at the time of the 1841 census. in 1851, he was recorded as lodging in the household of david clemens in little wakering, essex, and describing himself as a farm labourer by profession. on 18 may 1856 he married sarah ann bateman at st george's church, an anglican church in gravesend, kent. in that record, both pickingill and bateman described themselves as residing in gravesend, and pickingill declared that he was working as a labourer; no profession was listed for bateman. bateman was born c.1831 in tillingham, essex, as the daughter of joseph bateman and his wife mary ann aggus; throughout married life, she identified as "mary ann pickingill" and appeared as "sarah ann pittengale" in her burial record.