Pierre's father was born Hendrik (Henry) Scheemaekers in Flanders to sculptor Pieter Scheemaeckers and Catharina van der Hulst of Antwerp.
Hendrik settled in Westminster by 1726, when "Henry Scheemakers, Statuary", is recorded as taking as apprentice John van Nost.
[6] These included the children's deputy guardian (subrogé tuteur), sculptor Jean-Baptiste or Jean-Jacques Poullet; Pierre Danse and Denis Robinot, both sculptors on rue Meslé (now Meslay) where the Scheemackers were living; and Denis Coulonjon, living at the Cour du Grand Maitre de l'Arsenal.
On 15 October 1755, Pierre Scheemackers (the French spelling of the family name) was admitted to the Académie de Saint-Luc.
The three Dubourgs were left legacies by Pierre's brother, their great-uncle sculptor Thomas Scheemakers of London, who had died childless in 1808.