Appleyard's maternal grandparents, both born in Yorkshire, were Abraham Wormald (ca.1786–1847) a stone mason of Spring Gardens, Drighlington, and his wife Elizabeth (ca.1781 – Drighlington 20 February 1848).
His father was Jabez Appleyard (Birstall 1805 – Bradford 5 December 1870), a size-boiler for the preparation of wool, and his mother was Jane Wormald (Birstall 1810 – 30 January 1883).
Jabez and Jane had nine children.
John, the eldest, was born on 10 September 1831 at School Close, Leeds, and baptised on 9 October 1831 at St Peter's, Leeds.
The family moved to Drighlington, then Water Lane in Farsley.
By 1851, after completing his apprenticeship with his grandfather, he moved to 4 Hirst Square off St James Street, Leeds, on the site of the present Leeds Civic Hall, and lived there for the rest of his life.
In 1853 he married the widow Mrs Elizabeth "Eliza" Whiteley (Foleshill 1824 – Leeds 1889) at Leeds Parish Church.

He died on 14 January 1894 without issue, The funeral procession left 4 Hirst Square on 17 January at 2.30pm, and he was buried at Burmantofts Cemetery in grave no.12542.
He was sufficiently wealthy to bequeath £100 to Leeds General Infirmary, and £2,133 16s 10d to his relative Isaac Appleyard, a coal merchant.

 Media related to St John Farsley, Appleyard gravestone at Wikimedia Commons
 Media related to Beckett Street Cemetery, John Wormald Appleyard gravestone at Wikimedia Commons
Appleyard's maternal grandparents, both born in Yorkshire, were Abraham Wormald (ca.1786–1847) a stone mason of Spring Gardens, Drighlington, and his wife Elizabeth (ca.1781 – Drighlington 20 February 1848). His father was Jabez Appleyard (Birstall 1805 – Bradford 5 December 1870), a size-boiler for the preparation of wool, and his mother was Jane Wormald (Birstall 1810 – 30 January 1883). Jabez and Jane had nine children. John, the eldest, was born on 10 September 1831 at School Close, Leeds, and baptised on 9 October 1831 at St Peter's, Leeds. The family moved to Drighlington, then Water Lane in Farsley. By 1851, after completing his apprenticeship with his grandfather, he moved to 4 Hirst Square off St James Street, Leeds, on the site of the present Leeds Civic Hall, and lived there for the rest of his life. In 1853 he married the widow Mrs Elizabeth "Eliza" Whiteley (Foleshill 1824 – Leeds 1889) at Leeds Parish Church. 
He died on 14 January 1894 without issue, The funeral procession left 4 Hirst Square on 17 January at 2.30pm, and he was buried at Burmantofts Cemetery in grave no.12542. He was sufficiently wealthy to bequeath £100 to Leeds General Infirmary, and £2,133 16s 10d to his relative Isaac Appleyard, a coal merchant.
 Media related to St John Farsley, Appleyard gravestone at Wikimedia Commons
 Media related to Beckett Street Cemetery, John Wormald Appleyard gravestone at Wikimedia Commons
John Wormald Appleyard