JOHN FREDERICK CHEESMAN
Born: 10th December 1892, 25, Wandsworth Bridge Road, Battersea, Surrey.
Baptised on the 26th February 1893, at St. Philip’s Church, Battersea, Surrey – family home at the Union Workhouse, where his father was a clerk.
Died: 25th January 1918; age 26; killed accidentally while flying at Catterick, Yorkshire.
E.A.D.T. – Tuesday, 29th January 1918 – LIEUTENANT JOHN FREDERICK CHEESMAN – The death is announced of Second Lieutenant John Frederick Cheesman, R.F.C., the eldest son of Mr. John F. Cheesman and Mrs. Mary A. Cheesman, of Barham, who succumbed to injuries sustained in a flying accident in the North of England, on Friday.
Lieutenant Cheesman, who was 25 years of age, was educated at the Municipal School, Ipswich, and afterwards devoted his abilities to Poor Law administration. After serving as assistant master at Nuneaton, he secured a similar position at the important Newport, Monmouthshire, Workhouse. In February 1915, he joined the Royal Engineers, and after serving in France for two years, during which time he attained the rank of sergeant, he returned to England to take a commission in the Royal Flying Corps. It is a lamentable fact that he was making his last flight in England before going to France when the accident occurred.
The deceased will be accorded a military funeral. The service will commence at All Saints’ Church, Ipswich, at 2:30 on Wednesday afternoon.
Residence: Barham House, Claydon, Suffolk.
Enlistment Date: 7th February 1915; age 21.
Date of Entry Therein: 4th December 1915 – France.
Discharged from the Royal Engineers and Commisioned to the R.A.F. – 22nd December 1917.
Certificate taken on the Beatty-Wright Biplane, at Beatty School, Cricklewood, Hendon. – 27th June 1917.
Rank: Second Lieutenant; Service Number: 302731
Regiment: Royal Flying Corps.
Formerly Royal Engineers, 151st Field Coy, 67376, Sergeant.
Medals Awarded: Victory, British War & 1915 Star.
Grave Reference:
BA.I.73.
Ipswich.
CENSUS
1901 69, St. Helen’s Street, Ipswich.
Freddie was 8 years old; he and his sister were living with their maternal grandfather and stepbrother.
George Pilgrim, 59, a Ham and Beef Shopkeeper – at home, born St. Luke’s, London.
Percy Young Pilgrim, 13, born Battersea, London.
Minnie Cheesman, 9, born Petersfield, Hampshire.
1911 The Union Workhouse, Chilvers Coton, Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
John was 18 years old, an Officer – Workhouse Clerk – Poor Law. He was 1 of 8 Officers employed by 39 year old, Frederick William Allen, Master of the Union Workhouse, which housed 30 patients & 62 inmates.
Father: John Frederick Cheesman, born September 1856, 10, Park Terrace, Chelsea, Middlesex – died May 1921, Norwich Road, Ipswich.
Mother: Mary Ann Cheesman (nee Pilgrim), born 1864, Fulham, Middlesex – died September 1948, Ipswich.
On both the 1901 & 1911 censuses, John & Mary were Master and Matron of The Barham & Claydon Union Workhouse, Barham, Suffolk, with their children. Mary Ann’s son Percy Young Pilgrim, born 1887, Battersea, Surrey (son of Percy Gordon Radstock Young), never lived with the Cheesman family.
Soldiers’ Effects to Mrs. Mary Ann Cheesman – mother.
The funeral of Lieut. John Frederick Cheesman, R.F.C., who met with his death on Friday in a flying accident, took place at the Ipswich Cemetery on Wednesday.
The remains were brought to Ipswich on Monday. The flags at the North Country aerodrome floated at half mast, and a party of officers and men, representing various squadrons, went to the railway station and lined up and saluted as the coffin was carried to the train. At Ipswich the remains were interred with full military honours, the coffin, covered with the Union Jack, being borne on a gun-carriage with outriders, supplied by the 395th Battery, R.F.A., by permission of Colonel Manley, the officer commanding. A firing party of forty men, under Lieut. Veich and Sergt. Hurst, with buglers, was sent by the Northumberland Fusiliers, by permission of Col. Hay, O.C. Eight flight-sergeants acted as bearers. Owing to the deceased officer having seen two years’ service in France, the body was interred in the Field of Honour. The service was held at All Saints’ Church, the officiating clergy being the Rev. C.R. Phillips and Rev. W.J. Chapman, rector of Hemingstone.
The mourners were: Mr. and Mrs. J.F. Cheesman (father and mother) the Misses M., N., and E. Cheesman (sisters). Masters H., E., and A. Cheesman (brothers). Lieut. B.C. Self (representing the 52nd Training Squadron, Mrs Purchase, Mrs Mayhew, Mrs Pearce (aunts). Mr. and Mrs. Garling, Miss Garling, Mrs F. Graver, Corpl. F. Grayer, R.E., Mr. and Mrs. Oliver C. Jones, Mr and Miss Timmins, Miss A. Russell and Nurse Williams. There were also present at the church Mr. Pollard Wilkinson, with a party of boys from the Municipal Secondary School, Ipswich; Mr. Fred Ward, Mr. and Mrs G. Quinton, Mr D. Foulger, Mrs Rogers, and others.
John is also remembered on the war memorial at Northgate High School. Formerly Ipswich Grammar School for Boys.
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