Walter Frederick Cave was born in Clifton, Bristol, England on 17 September 1863 and was articled to Arthur William Blomfield (1829-1899) in 1884, and was clerk of works at Ditcham, Peterborough in 1886. He also studied at Bristol School of Art and at the Royal Academy Schools. He commenced independent practice as an architect in 1888 in London and remained a sole practitioner throughout his career. He was surveyor to the Gunter Estate.
Cave was elected a member of the Art Workers Guild in 1889, and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1906. He was Vice President of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1917-21. In addition to he work as an architect he also designed furniture, interiors, fireplaces, gardens and pianos for Messrs Beckstein.
He exhibited at the Royal Academy in London from 1905 to 1926. He also participated in exhibitions of the Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society in London.
In 1892 Cave married the Canadian-born painter, decorative artist and embroiderer Jessica (Jessie) Maria Cochrane (1863?-1934) with whom he sometimes exhibited,
His address was given as 8 George Street, Portman Square, London in 1890; 14 Marlborough Road, St. John's Wood, London in 1895; 8 Old Burlington Street, London in 1898 and 1905; 18 West Eaton Place, London in 1905 and 1914; 22 Sackville Street in 1914 and 1926; 132A Cromwell Road, London in 1930 and 1935. He died in London on 7 January 1939.
A biographical file on Walter Frederick Cave is available on request from the Enquiry Desk, Royal Institute of British Architects, London
Architectural work by Cave included Ditcham Park, Buriton, Hampshire (1886-88); Park Barn Cottages, Ditcham, Hampshire (1887-88); Mouseplatt, Sidbury, Devon (1889); Church of the Nativity, Watlington, Oxfordshire (1889); Beaconsgate, Sidbury, Devon (1889-1904); Guards Corner, Ditcham, Hampshire (1889-90); Sidmouth Hospital, Sidmouth, Devon (1891); Extension to Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford (1891-92); Lodge, Somerville College, Oxford (1892-93); Exwick Post Office and Village Stores, Exwick, Devon (1893); Cricket Pavilion, New College, Oxford (1893); Studios, Bolton Gardens South, London (1894, 1904-06); Belgaum, Woking, Surrey (1894); Eventyde, St. John's, Woking, Surrey (1895); 121 and 123 Backwell Farleigh, Somerset (1890); Alterations and additions to Bateman's, Burwash, Sussex (1895); Lodge, Stagenhoe Park, Hertfordshire (c.1895); Flax Lea, Flax Bourton, Somerset (c.1895); Lodge. Donkey House and dovecot, Chanters, Ottery St. Mary, Devon (1896); Tyntesfield, Wraxall, Somerset (1896); Jubilee Memorial for Queen Victoria, Ottery St. Mary, Devon (1896); Buckmore, Bell Hill, Petersfield, Hampshire (1897); St. Giles and St. Peter Church, Sudbury, Devon (1897, 1902. 1922); Additions and alterations to Manor House, Coln St. Aldwyn, Gloucestershire (1898); Rose garden and pool, Sidbury Manor, Sidbury, Devon (1899, 1903); Model Housing for The Gunter Estate, Sedlescombe Road, Fulham, London (1900-04); Warren Mount, Oxshott, Surrey (1901); Oswald's Studios, Sedlescombe Road, Fulham, London (1901); Dixcote (Dixcot), 8 North Drive, Streatham Park, London (1901); Two cottages on the Gibbs Estates, Somerset (c.1901); Martins Cottage, Filkins Road, Eastleach, Gloucestershire (1901); The Coppice, Henley, Oxfordshire (1901); Coleherne Mansion Flats, Old Brompton Road and Redcliffe Gardens, London (1901-03); Coleherne Court, 6 Old Brompton Road, Kensington, London (1901-04); Ravenshill, Eastleach, Gloucestershire (1902); Alterations and additions, Weald Manor, Bampton, Oxfordshire (1903); Alterations to Tile Barn, Wooton Hill, Newbury, Berkshire (1903); Aeolian Hall, 135-137 New Bond Street, London (1903); Chappell's Galleries, New Bond Street, London (c.1903); Adelphi Theatre, The Strand, London (1904); The Barn Cottage, Woolron Hill, Hampshire (1903); Studios in Bolton Gardens, London (1904); Littlecourt, Farthingstone, Northamptonshire (1904-07); Bechstein Showrooms, 36-38 Wigmore Street, London (1904-09); Ewelme Down, Oxfordshire (1905); Conversion of 135 New Bond Street, London into the Aeolian Hall for the Orchestrelle Company (1905); Reconstruction of Chappell's Galleries in New Bond Street, London (1905); Alterations and additions to St. Austin's, Lymington, Hampshire (1906-11); Gardens, Hatherop Castle, Gloucestershire (c.1907); Gardens, Kneesworth Hall, Royston, Hertfordshire (c.1907); Additions to Combe Bank, Sundridge, Sevenoaks, Kent (1907); Lych Gate, St. Peter Church, Farnborough, Hampshire (1907); Union Jack Hostel, Waterloo Road, London (1907); Additions and alterations to Cuerden Hall, Shady Lane, Bamber Bridge, Preston, Lancashire (1907); Sherwood House, Newton S. Cyres, Devon (1907); Additions to Roche Court, Fareham, Hampshire, 1908; Additions to Blackbrook Grove, Fareham, Hampshire (1908); The Dock House, Beulieu, Hampshire (1909); Additions to Somerville College, Oxford (1909); Addition to Bechstein Hall (now Wigmore Hall), London (1909); Conversion of 16 Upper Berkeley Street, London (1909); 78 Upper Berkeley Street, London (1909); Bengeo House, Hertfordshire (1909-10); Aeolian Piano Factory, Silverdale Road, Hayes, Middlesex (1909-11); High Wall, Headington, Oxfordshire (1910); House, Forest Wow, East Sussex (1911); Library, 35 Lowndes Square, London(1911); Aldenham Grange, Letchmore Heath, Watford, Hertfordshire (1911); Remodelling of Duke of York's School, Chelsea, London (1911); Consulting architect for Whitley Village, Cobham, Surrey, a retirement village built for Whiteley Home Trust (1911-16); The Wharf, 43 Church Street, Sutton Courtney, Oxfordshire (1912); Chelson Farm, Sidbury, Devon (1912); Burberry's, Haymarket, London (1912); Castle Hill House, Sidbury, Devon (1912); Jean Cottage, Headington, Oxfordshire (1913); Saint George Motel, La Héruppe, Normandy, France (1913-16); Littlecourt Stables, Farthingstone, Northamptonshire (1914); Two cottages, Farthingstone, Northamptonshire (1914); Pump House, Farthingstone, Northamptonshire (1914); Additions to Lenham Court, Maidstone, Kent (c.1914-20); Union Jack Club, Waterloo Road, London (1917); War Memorial, Grove Park, Weston Super Mare, Somerset, with Edward Alfred Briscoe Drury (1920)War Memorial, Ottery St. Mary, Devon (c.1921); Lych Gate and Tower Screen, St. Mary, Fordingbridge, Hampshire (1922); Sudbury Village Hall, Sudbury, Devon (1924); Store, Belize, Honduras (c.1924); Catthorpe, Catthorpe, near Rugby, Warwickshire (1925); and Extension to The Old Town Hall, Fulham Road, London (1934). Cave also designed furniture, stained glass, metalwork and picture frames.
See also:
Source of Illustrations
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
Gray, A. Stuart. Edwardian architecture: a biographical dictionary. London: Gerald Duckworth & Co., Ltd., 1985
Gray, Sara. British Women Artists. A Biographical Dictionary of 1,000 Women Artists in the British Decorative Arts. Oakamoor: Dark River, 2019 [Entry for Jessica Maria Cave]
Hamilton, Alec. Arts & Crafts Churches. London: Lund Humphries, 2020
Marriott, Charles. Modern English Architecture. London: Chapman & Hall, 1924
'Obituary'. The Architect & Building News vol. 157, 13 January 1939 p. 28
'Obituary'. The Architects’ Journal 12 January 1939 p. 44
'Obituary'. The Architectural Association Journal vol. 54, January 1939 p. 173
'Obituary'. The Builder vol. 156, 1939 p. 116
'Obituary'. Royal Institute of British Architects Journal vol. 46, 23 January 1939 p. 312
Patrick, Judith. Walter Cave: Arts and Crafts to Edwardian splendour. Andover, England: Phillimore, 2012
Patrick, Judith . ‘Walter Cave and his Two Devon Gardens’. Devon Gardens Trust Journal issue 2, 2009 pp.19-22