Francis William Cheetham (5 February 1928 - 8 November 2005) was a leading authority on Nottingham Alabaster

Nottingham Alabaster

Nottingham alabaster is a term used to refer to the English sculpture industry, mostly of relatively small religious carvings, which flourished from the fourteenth century until the early sixteenth century...

 and the author of several books and articles on the subject.

Career

Cheetham was born in 1928 and educated at King Edward VII School

King Edward VII School (Sheffield)

King Edward VII School is a secondary school and language college located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. KES, named after the reigning monarch, was formed in 1905 when Wesley College was merged with Sheffield Royal Grammar School on the site of the former on Glossop Road...

 in Sheffield

Sheffield

Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...

 before taking a degree in Spanish at Sheffield University after the war. After National Service he worked as a teacher in Sheffield and did voluntary work at Sheffield Museum

Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust

Museums Sheffield is the new name for Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust. It is a charity that runs council owned art galleries and museums in Sheffield, England. One of the trustees is His Grace the Duke of Devonshire. They run the following galleries and museums:* Bishops' House* Graves Art...

.

He went on to work for Derby Museum

Derby Museum and Art Gallery

Derby Museum and Art Gallery was established in 1879, along with Derby Central Library, in a new building designed by Richard Knill Freeman and given to Derby by Michael Thomas Bass. The collection includes a whole gallery displaying the paintings of Joseph Wright of Derby; there is also a large...

s Education Service before he moved to take up work at Bolton Museum

Bolton Museum

Bolton Museum is a public museum and art gallery in the town of Bolton, Greater Manchester, northern England, owned by Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council....

 in 1957. Three years later he returned to the East Midlands top be deputy art director and curator at Nottingham Castle

Nottingham Castle

Nottingham Castle is a castle in Nottingham, England. It is located in a commanding position on a natural promontory known as "'Castle Rock'", with cliffs high to the south and west. In the Middle Ages it was a major royal fortress and occasional royal residence...

 Museum. After another three years he set up Norwich museum service after he became head of Norwich Museums.

Scholarship

His personal study interest was in medieval English alabasters, based on his early work with the Nottingham collection. After retirement he published in 2003 what is now the standard work on the alabasters in the Victoria and Albert Museum

Victoria and Albert Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...

.

His work on the Nottingham Alabaster

Nottingham Alabaster

Nottingham alabaster is a term used to refer to the English sculpture industry, mostly of relatively small religious carvings, which flourished from the fourteenth century until the early sixteenth century...

 collection was published in 2005. On retirement he lectured extensively for ACE Cultural Tours

ACE Cultural Tours

ACE Cultural Tours is an operator of educational and cultural travel tours. Specialising in small group tours with expert leaders such as Humphrey Burton, Andrew Wilson, Colin Bailey, Michael Nicholson & Julian Richards, the organisation provides tours in the UK, Europe and across the globe...

. Lectures in his name are still given in Norfolk.