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The firm was established in 1896 as an amalgamation of several companies - Wholesale and Retail Grocers, Tea Dealers and Blenders, Provision Dealers, Wine and Spirit and Beer Merchants and General Purveyors previously run by A. J Cave, A.J. and C.H. Cave, J and Alfred Austin and James McCabe. The original board of directors consisted of A.J. Cave, C.H. Cave, Alfred Austin, Charles Stamp, E Underwood, James McCabe and E.J. Mansfield. The stores (including the Eastbourne store pictured in LMA/4758/C/02/002) held a range of goods including fish, meat, green groceries, spirits and hardware. A range of Cafés on the Kent and Sussex Coast lines opened from 1896 onwards. The idea originated from C.H. Cave who opened the first tea and coffee shop in Brighton. By 1931, however, the decision was made to focus on becoming a 'High-class Grocers'; instead of acquiring more stores, the company would expand and modernise the existing stores and cafes (see LMA/4758/B/01/002). The company’s registered offices were at Idol Lane, Eastcheap, City of London (until 1931); then at Seeay House, 34/40 Eastdown Park, Lewisham (1931 until after 1957).
At its height, Austin Cave Grocers had over fifty branches all over South-East London, North-East London, Kent and Surrey as well as cafés in many major South Coast resorts such Deal in Kent and, St Leonards-on-Sea and Hastings in Sussex. In 1956 the company could boast that ‘2600 tons of food are delivered from warehouses to branches per year’ (see LMA/4758/B/02/001) while ‘Town and Country Life’ suggested in the 1920s that ‘all motorists and other travellers should make note of the Cave’s Cafés’ (see LMA/4758/B/01/001).
From the beginning to his death in 1935, Charles Stamp was a leading figure: as director, secretary and chairman. He was succeeded by his son, Charles Alfred Stamp who was subsequently also succeeded as chairman by his elder son Barry Hartnell Stamp. Barry Hartnell Stamp was the last managing director as the company was taken over by Burton, Son and Sanders in 1963. The company was sold again in 1966 to Moores Stores and the name Cave Austin disappeared soon after. For more information see the company history ‘Sixty Years of Trading’ (LMA/4758/B/02/001).