Verney Cave-Browne Cave was the son of Sir John Robert Cave-Browne Cave of a long-established Warwickshire family which had strong Church of England roots. He was born in 1833 and at an early age felt called to the ministry. He received orders in the Anglican Church and served first of all in London and then several parishes in the Midlands area. Being of High Church leanings he was greatly influenced by Cardinal Newman and the Oxford movement. On his conversion to the Church he studied in Lisbon and was ordained priest in 1875. His conversion caused much pain to his family and friends, and like many other convert clergymen before him, his conversion must have brought it share of suffering as well as great joy.

Fr Cave, as he became called, was appointed to St Peter's as assistant priest to the ageing Canon Jeffries, and on the latter's retirement continued under the rectorship of Canon Knight. They were an ideal partnership of learning and courtesy, so that when Canon Knight was appointed to Shrewesbury in 1879 he no doubt recommended that even such a recent convert to the Church should be appointed Rector. If it was a surprise to everyone, it soon became a welcome one. During his ministry Fr Cave was both wise and kindly. He supervised the extension to St Peter's School and made many improvements in the presbytery. After his years of Anglican ministry in the slums of London and elsewhere, he had particular care for the poor and suffering in the parish who remembered him with great affection. Whilst he was Rector there was an acrimonious correspondence in the Courier regarding the infallibility of the Pope which with his great learning and Anglican background Fr Cave answered with courtesy and clarity, pointing out the difference between bigotry and ignorance from true Christian tradition. In one letter he also refers to a proposed book of his sermons setting out his teaching on doctrinal matters which sadly does not seem to have materialised, since he has claim to have been one of the best and most learned preachers among the pastors of Leamington.

Sadly, Fr Cave did not enjoy good health and in 1881 he asked for an assistant to share in the duties of the parish, and then finally retired in 1883 to take up residence in Arlington Avenue. During his years of retirement he was always held in great esteem and his successor Canon Longman became not only a friend but looked on him as a trusted advisor. He died in 1890 and a memorial plaque was installed in the baptistery as a mark of the respect and affection the parish had for him. At his funeral Canon Longman spoke warmly of the great contribution he had made to St Peter's. By this time there had been complete reconciliation between Fr Cave and his former friends so that at the requiem Mass there was a great gathering of rich and poor, Catholic and non-Catholic, along with many others who came to thank God for the ministry of this former Anglican clergyman who became Rector of St Peter's.

He was buried alongside Canon Jeffries in the priests' plot at St Augustine's, Kenilworth.

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