http://www.headington.org.uk/oxon/mayors/index.htm
MAYORS AND LORD MAYORS OF OXFORD
Walter Cave (c.1602-1662) may be the Walter Cave, son of Thomas,
who was baptised at St March's Church, Witney in 1602.
Cave was apprenticed to the mercer Thomas Cooper (who had himself
been Mayor in 1630). On 17 February 1630/1 he married Alice Williams,
daughter of Thomas Williams of the Star Inn in Cornmarket, at Wolvercote,
and soon changed from the trade of mercer to that of brewer. Their eldest
son Thomas was born soon afterwards, followed by Walter, who was
baptised at St Michael's Church on 23 August 1635. After the death of his
first wife he married Elizabeth Clemson, and had more children: Sarah and
Jane are probably the children of the second marriage.
Although he started out as a mercer in St Martin's parish, on 20 December
1638 he was admitted to brew by the University, moving to the brewing area
in Grandpont.
Cave was admitted free by the City on 13 September 1639, paying the
officers' fees of five shillings. The Mayor at the time, fellow brewer
Thomas Smith, nominated him as his Child, and he was granted an
immediate Bailiff's place on the same day.
In September 1642 Cave was appointed one of the Keykeepers. In October
that year he contributed £5 of his personal money towards a collection of
money to be presented to King Charles I after the Battle of Edgehill.
On 19 February 1647 Thomas Wilkinson, Cave's "late servant", was admitted
free.
On 8 August 1648, when he was still only 30, Cave was elected one of the
Mayor's eight Assistants in place of Leonard Bowman: he moved swiftly
through the council posts thanks to a purge by Parliament of the council
members who favoured the King. Two years later on 16 September 1650 he
was elected Mayor, and chose William Bayly junior as his Child. After his
term of office he held the post of Assistant and Keykeeper again.
On 9 September 1657 Cave's son Henry was buried at St Aldate's Church.
In March 1658 Cave paid the council a shilling for a licence to continue the
standing of a post to support his house at Carfax. This is probably the
corner house at the junction of Cornmarket and the High Street.
On 26 October 1659 Cave was one of the group selected to present letters
of congratulation to the Lord Protector.
On 17 September 1660 Leonard Bowman was restored to his position as
Assistant, but because of the respect due from the city to Cave, the latter
was allowed to wear a scarlet gown and take his place in the Council
Chamber and at church and at all other public functions according to the
seniority that he would have enjoyed had he still been an Assistant.
On 11 April 1661 Cave's eldest son Thomas was admitted free.
In August 1661 Cave went out with the Mayor and senior councillors in a
scarlet gown with footclothes and footmen to meet the King in his visit to
the city.
Cave died on 21 February 1662/3, and was buried at St Aldate's Church two
days later. Anthony Wood used the occasion to provide a potted family
history in his diary:
Walter Cave of Grandpoole in the south suburbs of Oxon, brewer, brother to
Sir Richard Cave, knight, died at his house in Grandpoole, S., 21 Febr.
1662, and was buried in S. Aldate's church. He married his first wife,
Alice, daughter of Thomas Williams of the Star Inn in Oxon; and to his
second, Elizabeth, the daughter of [Thomas] Clemson of Abendon; by both
which he had issue.
On 6 August 1666 Cave's second son, Walter (notwithstanding the fact that he
had been born before his father was made free, which made him ineligible for
his freedom by descent) was granted his freedom with the proviso that it was
to be remembered that this kindness was done for his father's sake. He
married Mrs Ann Turton at St Aldate's Church on 8 November 1670, but this
may be a second marriage, as a Walter Cave with a wife and three children
was paying five shillings poll tax in St Aldate's in 1667.
Cave's widow, Elizabeth, was buried at St Aldate's Church on 21 November
1668 and his spinster daughter Jane on 9 November 1672.
Cave's daughter Sarah married Thomas Fifield, who himself became Mayor in
1676.
See also:
PCC Will PROB 11/311 (Will of Walter Cave, Gentleman of Oxford, proved 2
June 1663)