He was born on 18 September 1819 on the Dalmeny House estate, a few miles west of Edinburgh, his elderly father, William Chesser (1757-1849), being Clerk of Works there. After spending some years working on the Revesby House estate in Lincolnshire he returned to Dalmeny to fill his father’s shoes on his death.
He was described as "the prime exponent of terrace design at the time". By 1852 he appears to have been working for the City Architect, David Cousin. Through his experience, in 1858, he then gained a post as Superintendent of Works at George Heriot’s School following the death of Alexander Black.
This role included developing the huge swathes of land around the city owned by the Heriot Trust, particularly in the West End of Edinburgh, and also building ten Heriot Trust Schools around the city for the less privileged children to attend.
He lived most of his later life at 1 Chalmers Street in southern Edinburgh. He died in Corstorphine, Edinburgh on 2 February 1892 and is buried in Cramond Kirkyard.
He is buried with a separate monument, immediately to the north. These were all built on Trust land and using Trust monies.
Regent Road (Montrose Terrace) (1874)
Street Bernard’s Crescent (1874)
Dean Street (1874).
