Person    | Male  Born 22/5/1865  Died 6/1/1948

Wallace Bligh Cheesman

Wallace Bligh Cheesman

Trade unionist in the General Post Office (affiliated to the Western District Office). Became Secretary of the Fawcett Association in 1892, a post from which he was dismissed, together with the chairman William Clery, for lobbying MPs. Later became the chairman of the Government Workers' Federation.

The plaque asserts that he founded the Fawcett Association so it seems odd he only became its Secretary 2 years later. Perhaps he was a co-founder.

Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has researched this man and disputes that he died in 1947, as shown on the London Borough of Islington's green plaque at 5 Highbury Grange, London, N5 and also on his Wikipedia page (as at 2025). Probate records show he died on 6 January 1948.

Wallace Bligh Cheesman was born on 22 May 1865 in Higham, Kent, the third of the eight children of Henry Cheesman (1829-1903) and Emily Cheesman née Bligh née Ashdown (1833-1914). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1965 in the North Aylesford Registration District, Kent. His mother had previously been married to William Henry Ashdown (1828-1859) and had given birth to six children.

His seven siblings were: Victor Henry Cheesman (1862-1943); Murton Alfred Cheesman (b.1863); Ernest William Cheesman (1870-1943); Horace Cheesman (1870-1916); Rowland Hill Cheesman (1872-1918); Vernon Cornelius Cheesman (1874-1951) and Herbert Louis Cheesman (1876-1946).

In the 1871 census he is shown as Wallace B. Cheesman, aged 6 years and a scholar, living in Gads Hill, Higham, Kent, with his parents, his four siblings: Victor Henry Cheesman - a scholar; Murton Alfred Cheesman - a scholar; Ernest William Cheesman and  Horace Cheesman, together with two of his half sisters: Rosalie Hannah Ashdown (1869-1894) and Emily Eleanor Ashdown (1857-1945) - both scholars. His father was described as a shoemaker.

When the 1881 census was undertaken he was listed as Wallace Cheesman, aged 15 years and an agricultural labourer, living at 1 Latten Terrace, Upper Higham, Kent, with his parents, six of his siblings: Victor Henry Cheesman - a cordwainer; Ernest William Cheesman - a scholar; Horace Cheesman - a scholar; Rowland Hill Cheesman - a scholar; Vernon Cornelius Cheesman - a scholar and Herbert Louis Cheesman, together with his half sister Rosalie Hannah Ashdown - a dressmaker. His father was described as a cordwainer employing two men.

Electoral registers in 1889 show him occupying one room on the 3rd floor of 26 Gibson Square, Islington, which he was renting at 7 shillings per week from a Mrs Millard of the same address.

On 3 December 1889 he married Harriet Mary Ann Felstead (1862-1951) at Holy Trinity Church, Cloudesley Square, Islington, Middlesex (now Greater London), where in the marriage register he is shown as aged 24 years, a bachelor and a letter sorter, living at 49 Halton Street (later renamed as Halton Road), Islington, the son of Henry Cheesman, a chiropodist, whilst his wife was described as aged 27 years and spinster, residing at 21 Florence Street, Islington, the daughter of Noah Felstead, a packer. They were to have two children: Harold Wallace Cheesman (1890-1967) and Gladys Daisy Cheesman (1892-1966).

He is listed in the 1891 census as Wallace Bligh Cheesman, aged 25 years and G.P.O. letter sorter, living in rooms at 49 Halton Road, Islington, London, with his wife, their son Harold Wallace Cheesman, his brother Rowland Hill Cheesman - a walking stick maker, together with a female general domestic servant.

When their son was baptised on 17 June 1891 at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel Highbury in Drayton Park, Islington, the baptismal register shows the family address as 28 Florence Street, Islington.

Electoral registers for 1893 show him listed as renting two rooms unfurnished on the 2nd floor at 38 Florence Street from a Mr Jones of the same address.

When their daughter was baptised on 20 September 1893 at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel Highbury in Drayton Park, Islington, the baptismal register shows the family address as 27 Florence Street, Islington and electoral registers for 1898 and 1899 show him renting two unfurnished rooms back and front on the ground floor of 27 Florence Street, Islington, from a Mr Swann of the same address. 

The 1901 census shows him as Wallace B. Cheesman, aged 35 years and a trade union secretary residing in rooms at 28 Florence Street, Islington, with his wife and their two children: Harold Wallace Cheesman and Gladys Daisy Cheesman, together with a female domestic servant.

Electoral registers in 1904 show him listed at 1st Floor, 2 Arundel Square, Lower Holloway, Islington.

When he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself as Wallace Bligh Cheesman, aged 42 years and a trades union secretary living in a four roomed property at 40 Compton Road, Highbury, Canonbury, London, with his wife, their daughter Gladys Daisy Cheesman - a clerk, his widowed and retired father-in-law Noah Felstead, together with two female boarders.

Electoral registers in the spring of 1919 show him listed at 64 Highbury Grove, London, N5 but from the autumn of 1919 until 1921 he was registered at 16 Highbury Quadrant, London, N5.

He described himself on the 1921 census return form as Wallace B. Cheesman, aged 56 years, 1 month, a retired Secretary of the Union of Post Workers living a five roomed property at 16 Highbury Quadrant, London, N5, with his wife and their daughter who were shown as on home duties.

Electoral registers show him and his wife listed: from 1928 to 1934 at 105 Balfour Road, London, N5; from 1935 to 1938 at 60 Highbury New Park, London, N5 and in 1939 at 71 Highbury New Park, London, N5.

The 1939 England and Wales Register confirms his date of birth as 22 May 1865 and that he was a retired trades union official residing wife his wife at 57 Aberdeen Park, London, N5.

His death was registered as aged 82 years in the 1st quarter of 1948 in the Islington Registration District, London. Probate records confirm his address to have been 57 Aberdeen Park, London, N5 and that he died on 6 January 1948. Probate was granted on 5 March 1948 to Barclays Bank Ltd and his effects totalled £1,996-9s-4d.

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