William Frederick Cavaye
Encyclopedia
Major-General William Frederick Cavaye (15 February 1845 – 30 January 1926) was a British
military officer and Municipal Reform Party
politician.
He was the eldest son of General William Cavaye and his wife Isabella née Hutchinson, and was born in Edinburgh
, Scotland
. Following schooling at Edinburgh Academy
and in Charlton
he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
.
In 1865 he was commissioned as an ensign in the 107th Regiment of Foot
. He rose through the ranks to become a major in 1881, having served with distinction in the Anglo-Zulu War
of 1879. The 107th Foot became the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment
under the Childers reforms
of 1881: Cavaye became the battalion's commanding officer with the rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1883.
Cavaye was further promoted, becoming Assistant Adjutant General and Chief of Staff of the Southern District with the rank of Colonel. He served in the Second Boer War
of 1899 – 1902, and was mentioned in dispatches.
In 1906 he began his involvement in local government, when he was elected to Kensington Borough Council
, in the County of London
. He was one of nine councillors for the Brompton ward of the royal borough, all members of the Conservative
-backed Municipal Reform Party. He was mayor
of the borough for two consecutive terms in 1907 – 1909. He remained a member of the borough council until his death, latterly as an alderman
.
In 1910 he was elected to the London County Council
as a Municipal Reform councillor for South Kensington
. He held the seat for fifteen years before retiring from the LCC at the 1925 election due to ill-health.
In the meantime he had returned to active service. He was appointed commanding officer of the 2nd East Anglian Division in November 1914 with the rank of brigadier-general. The division did not serve abroad, but Cavaye subsequently served on "special service" with the British Expeditionary Force in France from 1917 – 1919, and was raised to the rank of major-general. From 1919 – 1920 he was a KIng's Messenger
.
In 1862 Cavaye married Ada Mary Barttelot, youngest daughter of Walter Barttelot, member of parliament
for West Sussex
.
He died at his London home, 6 Neville Terrace, SW7, on 30 January 1926. He was buried, following a military funeral, at Stopham
, Sussex
. In 1937 two Kensington streets, Chelsea Grove and Clifton Place, were combined into a single thoroughfare named "Cavaye Place" in honour of the general.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
military officer and Municipal Reform Party
Municipal Reform Party
The Municipal Reform Party was a local party allied to the parliamentary Conservative Party in the County of London. The party contested elections to both the London County Council and metropolitan borough councils of the county from 1906 to 1945.-Formation:...
politician.
He was the eldest son of General William Cavaye and his wife Isabella née Hutchinson, and was born in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Following schooling at Edinburgh Academy
Edinburgh Academy
The Edinburgh Academy is an independent school which was opened in 1824. The original building, in Henderson Row on the northern fringe of the New Town of Edinburgh, Scotland, is now part of the Senior School...
and in Charlton
Charlton, London
Charlton is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Greenwich. It is located east-southeast of Charing Cross. Charlton next Woolwich was an ancient parish in the county of Kent, which became part of the metropolitan area of London in 1855. It is home to Charlton...
he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
.
In 1865 he was commissioned as an ensign in the 107th Regiment of Foot
107th Regiment of Foot
Three regiments of the British Army have been numbered the 107th Regiment of Foot:*107th Regiment of Foot , raised in 1761*107th Regiment of Foot, raised in 1794...
. He rose through the ranks to become a major in 1881, having served with distinction in the Anglo-Zulu War
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
of 1879. The 107th Foot became the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment
Royal Sussex Regiment
The Royal Sussex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed as part of the Childers reforms by the amalgamation of the 35th Regiment of Foot and the 107th Regiment of Foot...
under the Childers reforms
Childers Reforms
The Childers Reforms restructured the infantry regiments of the British army. The reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms....
of 1881: Cavaye became the battalion's commanding officer with the rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1883.
Cavaye was further promoted, becoming Assistant Adjutant General and Chief of Staff of the Southern District with the rank of Colonel. He served in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
of 1899 – 1902, and was mentioned in dispatches.
In 1906 he began his involvement in local government, when he was elected to Kensington Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of Kensington
The Metropolitan Borough of Kensington was a Metropolitan borough in the County of London from 1900 to 1965.It bordered Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith, Paddington, and Westminster...
, in the County of London
County of London
The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of...
. He was one of nine councillors for the Brompton ward of the royal borough, all members of the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
-backed Municipal Reform Party. He was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the borough for two consecutive terms in 1907 – 1909. He remained a member of the borough council until his death, latterly as an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
.
In 1910 he was elected to the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
as a Municipal Reform councillor for South Kensington
Kensington South (UK Parliament constituency)
Kensington South was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Kensington district of west London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. He held the seat for fifteen years before retiring from the LCC at the 1925 election due to ill-health.
In the meantime he had returned to active service. He was appointed commanding officer of the 2nd East Anglian Division in November 1914 with the rank of brigadier-general. The division did not serve abroad, but Cavaye subsequently served on "special service" with the British Expeditionary Force in France from 1917 – 1919, and was raised to the rank of major-general. From 1919 – 1920 he was a KIng's Messenger
Queen's Messenger
The Corps of Queen's Messengers are couriers employed by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. They hand-carry secret and important documents to British embassies and consulates around the world. Many Queen's Messengers are retired Army personnel...
.
In 1862 Cavaye married Ada Mary Barttelot, youngest daughter of Walter Barttelot, member of parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for West Sussex
West Sussex (UK Parliament constituency)
West Sussex was a parliamentary constituency in the county of Sussex, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system....
.
He died at his London home, 6 Neville Terrace, SW7, on 30 January 1926. He was buried, following a military funeral, at Stopham
Stopham
Stopham is a hamlet and civil parish in the District of Chichester in West Sussex, England located two kilometres west of Pulborough on the A283 road....
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. In 1937 two Kensington streets, Chelsea Grove and Clifton Place, were combined into a single thoroughfare named "Cavaye Place" in honour of the general.