Along with C. J. Kerven (his brother?), owner of Derwentwater House. They gave the Radcliffe Obelisk to Acton Council and funded its erection in Acton Park in January 1904. The house was demolished in 1909 and we think it likely that the Kervens were the builders who had bought the property for development. Giving the obelisk away was part of clearing the site.
We found a Frederick Abraham Kerven, born in Brixton, died Brentford. The 1911 census shows their daughter Beryl was born in Acton in 1907.
Sources: , .
Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has researched F. A. Kervan and C. J. Kervan and confirms that they were indeed brothers.
Frederick Abraham Kervan was born in 1856 in Brixton, Surrey (now Greater London), the third of the eight children of William John Hall Kerven (1823-1886) and Mary Elizabeth Kerven née Bryant (1825-1893). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1856 in the Lambeth Registration District, Surrey (now Greater London).
When the census was conducted on 7 April 1861 he was shown as aged 5 years and living at 44 Sussex Road, Brixton, with his parents and four siblings: William Edwin Kerven (1852-1932); Henry John Kerven (1853-1929); Charles James Kerven (1855-1929) and Mary Jane Kerven (1860-1938).
In the 1878 edition of the London Post Office Directory he was shown as Kerven Frederick, butcher, 2 Davisville Terrace, Starch Green Road, Shepherd's Bush, Middlesex (now Greater London).
The census that was undertaken on 3 April 1881 shows him as aged 25 years and a butcher living at 138 Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith, Middlesex (now Greater London) with two of his siblings: Martha Alice Kerven (1863-1950) and John Albert Kerven (1865-1941) - also shown as a butcher, together with a male assistant butcher employee. His parents were living at 24 Church Road, Barnes, Surrey (now Greater London) with his youngest sister Clara Helena Kerven (1868-1931). His father was listed as a carpenter.
On 30 December 1888 he married Alice Maria Yeoman (1861-1949) at St Peters Church, South Kensington, Middlesex (now Greater London) where in the marriage register he is shown as of full aged, a bachelor and a butcher, living at 138 Goldhawk Road, Shepherd's Bush, the son of William John Hall Kervan - a builder, whilst his wife was described as of full age and a spinster, residing at 8 Roland Gardens, South Kensington, the daughter of Ralph Yeoman - a gardener.
They were to have four children: Hilda May Kerven (1890-1970); Jessie Hetty Kerven (1891-1953); Edwin Frederick Kerven (1893-1897) and Beryl Irene Kerven (1907-2001).
He was still listed at 138 Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith, London, when the census was taken on 5 April 1891. He was shown as aged 35 years and a master butcher who was living there with his wife, their daughter Hilda May Kerven and a female general domestic servant.
He remained at 138 Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith and was shown on the census that was compiled on 31 March 1901 as aged 45 years and both a butcher and an employer, residing with his wife and their two surviving children: Hilda May Kerven and Jessie Hetty Kerven, together with a female general servant.
He was listed in the 1906 edition of the National Telephone Company's telephone directory as Kerven Frederick, Butcher, 138 Goldhawk Rd. Chiswick 138, but by the time that Kelly's Directory of Ealing was published in 1910 he was shown at 14 Newburgh Road, Acton, Middlesex (now Greater London).
When he completed his census return form on 2 April 1911 he described himself as aged 55 years and a retired butcher living in an eight roomed property at 14 Newburgh Road, Acton with his wife and their three surviving children: Hilda May Kervan - a teacher of music employed on her own account at home; Jessie Hetty Keven - a scholar and Beryl Irene Kerven, together with a female general servant.
His death was registered as aged 56 years in the 4th quarter of 1912 in the Brentford Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London). Probate records show that he died on 4 December 1912 at 14 Newburgh Road, Acton. Probate was granted on 30 January 1913, jointly to his widow and his two eldest sisters who were listed as spinsters. His effects totalled £29,427-10s-2d.
He is shown as 'F. A. Kerven' on the memorial plaque attached to the Radcliffe obelisk located in Acton Park, East Churchfield Road, London, W3.
Following Andrew's researchers we now know that Frederick Kerven was not a developer, but a butcher who had been very successful. is a substantial property and lies within what were the grounds of Derwentwater House. It was his brother Charles who was the developer.
Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in to see them