Ernest W. Cheesman (1870-1943) was born at Higham, Kent, the son of Henry (a shoemaker and later cordwainer) and his wife, Emily. Ernest trained as a clerk and by 1901 had moved to Sheffield, where he lived at Springvale Road with his wife, Eliza née Woodward and their son, Quintin. The family had moved to Leeds by 1911, where Ernest was a bookkeeper for a cabinet maker. Cheesman had no experience in cutlery manufacture: nevertheless, during the First World War, E. W. Cheesman & Co began trading at Exchange Works, Egerton Street. The enterprise was involved in the finishing stages of the manufacture of solid handle table knives and forks. After 1915, Cheesman’s regularly advertised for staff – usually women and girls – for buffing and glazing table knives, and grinding forks. In 1918, Cheesman’s was fined £3 in each case for employing two women and two girls on night shifts, contrary to the regulations. The firm had been fined previously for neglecting to have female staff medically examined (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 27 August 1918).

At the end of the War, E. W. Cheesman’s continued to trade at Egerton Street. Ernest was living on the Ecclesall Road. In 1919, however, the firm was absorbed by Sheffield Steel Products Ltd.  Cheeseman left Sheffield for the south of England and became a cinema owner. He lived at Teddington, but died on 28 June 1943 at Aldershot Bus Station. He left £7,785.