Clive Wainwright, scholar, antiquary and museum curator: papers

Research papers on arms and armour and Samuel Rush Meyrick.

Clive Wainwright (1942-1999) was born in Somerset and attended Huish’s Grammar School in Taunton. On leaving school he undertook work as a research chemist at the firm ICI in Welwyn Garden City. In 1966 he joined the Victoria & Albert Museum as a Museum Assistant; he was first based in the National Art Library before transferring to the Department of Furniture and Woodwork in 1968.

Amongst Wainwright’s achievements at the V&A were his reappraisal with Simon Jervis of 19th century furniture, he also began to publish his research on subjects including the early furniture of Pugin and William Beckford’s collection. In 1988 he was made Assistant Keeper to the newly named Department of Furniture and Interior Design and in 1991 his role changed again as he was appointed Senior Research Fellow in Nineteenth-Century Studies in the V&A’s new Research Department. Wainwright was enthusiastically involved with the V&A and Royal College of Art’s joint postgraduate course on the History of Design from its establishment in 1982, teaching courses on 19th century design.

Wainwright married his wife Jane in 1967, together they restored an early Victorian house which they filled with their collection of 19th century furniture.

Access restricted until catalogued, contact library@wallacecollection.org for further information.

Readers are permitted to use cameras on the purchase of a reprographics permit. The charges are £2 for a daily or £5 for a weekly permit.

No accruals expected.