The brothers were the sons of Arthur Cave and Emma Corrall who had married on 28th
September 1884, they were to have 14 children although one died in infancy, they would also go on to adopt a child.
By 1901 the family were living in 11 Cross Street in Oadby. Both Arthur and Emma were working in shoe manufacturing. Later the family would move to London Road in Oadby, the 1911 census shows the couple had an adopted daughter, Winifred Coaton aged 2. Their oldest son, Harry born in 1885 was a Tailor and as well as their parents, James aged 16, Joseph aged 14 and George aged 13 were also working in Shoe Manufacturing.
At the outbreak of the war the family were living at 214 Avenue Road Extension, in 1914, with a gross yearly rental of £28.12s, no’s 214 & 216 Avenue Road were sold in auction for £ 270.
William Cave who was born in 1897 died after the end of the war. He died of Pneumonia on 2/3/1919 aged 21 and is buried at Sainte Marie Cemetery, Le Havre, France. His inscription reads ‘Duty Nobly Done’. Like his brother James, he is also remembered on the Oadby War Memorial.
Coincidently a previous resident of 214 Avenue Road also died in the Great War, the 1891 census shows Frederick Pratt was living at number 214, although later his family would move to Welford Road. He was Killed in Action at the Battle of Langemark on 16/8/1917 and is remembered on the Oadby War Memorial, which also includes Ronald H Cave, the son of the oldest Cave brother Harry, who had served in and survived the First World War to have his son die in the Second. Ronald died on 18/1/1944 and is buried in Italy.
