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last updated 26/11/2005
As well as their commercial interests in the building trade, the Cheesman family were owners and operators of a large number of ships. There are many references in the local press to the catches of mackerel they brought in to Brighton. I have not yet pieced together the story of this side of the family business. My biggest question is, how did George manage to be involved in so many projects at the same time? I have set up a page for the life of George Cheesman senior
The story is slightly confused by the fact that William Alfred Cheesman, first master of the West pier, seems not to be related (I know of three generations of the family, who seem to come from Horsham, Sussex). There is more on my 'Cheesman in Brighton' page.
There were also apparently three Captains Cheesman, probably Francis, James, and James his son, working from the chain Pier and later the West Pier, probably unrelated to my family. There is more on my 'Cheesman in Brighton' page.
I recently found a fascinating little museum - Marlipins Museum in Shoreham, just along the coast to the West of Brighton. Amongst the exhibits are models of two ships connected with the name Cheesman - the barque Akbar, whose captain was James Cheesman, and the 217 ton brig Charles, owned by George Cheesman and his son Charles.
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The 'Akbar', captain James Cheesman |
the Charles, owned by George and Charles Cheesman |
There is also a pretty Fishing Museum in Brighton. It contains a potentially useful shipping database, which unfortunately seems to have been mothballed for the last couple of years.
My thanks to Brian Cheesman who has sent me extracts from 'Ships and Mariners of Shoreham' by Henry Cheal Junior, published 1909.
As I find out more about the business I will be updating this site regularly, and I will welcome any information, no matter what, about this extraordinary family. Please e-mail me.
John Hoare
date |
name |
class |
owners/notes |
1821 |
Thomas |
|
Saved the
life of an 'aeronaut' (baloonist) |
1835 |
Caroline |
lugger |
George Cheesman and Henry Pocock |
1836 |
Kitty |
lugger |
George Cheesman and Henry Pocock |
1839 |
George |
brig |
George Cheesman senior and George Catt
of Bishopstone |
1840 |
George |
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1840 |
Sussex |
brig |
first master Francis Cheesman |
1841 |
Kitty |
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1845 |
Duke of Wellington |
lugger |
George Cheesman |
1845 |
Caroline (second one of this name) |
lugger |
George Cheesman |
1846 |
British Queen |
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1846 |
brig |
George Cheesman senior and Charles Cheesman |
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1846 |
Robin |
|
George Cheesman |
1847 |
Alfred |
barque |
George Cheesman senior and three others |
1847 |
Robert |
|
George Cheesman |
1849 |
Alice |
brig |
George Cheesman senior and Charles Cheesman |
1849 |
Fanny |
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1849 |
John (The) |
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1849 |
Sussex Oak |
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1853 |
Hark-Away |
191 tons |
Francis Cheesman first master |
1855 |
George |
Brig |
Charles Cheesman of Brighton |
1862 |
Heroine |
brig |
loss 22 Jan - Francis Cheesman, master |
1870's |
Hilarion |
brig |
James Cheesman took over as Captain after Captain Davidson resigned after quelling a mutiny single-handed |
1882 |
barque |
lost in the area of the Mississippi - Captain James Cheesman |
A brig is a square-rigged sailing ship with two masts
A barque is a three masted sailing ship square-rigged on the fore-mast and mainmast, and fore-and-aft rigged on the mizen-mast (the stern mast). these were traditionally small craft, but from the mid nineteenth century, much larger examples are found.
A lugger is a small ship with four-cornered sails.
