Furniture historian Clive Wainwright was born on 2 April 1942 in Langport, Somerset, in England. He was educated at Huish's Grammar School, Taunton, and then he joined the plastics research division of ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) in Welwyn Garden City.

Wainwright continued his education taking evening classes in art history, and then joined the staff of the Victoria and Albert Museum, first as an assistant in the National Art Library and then on the staff of the Keeper of Woodwork. Knowledge that he built up on the Victorian scene was translated to a doctoral thesis, a small collection of his own, and a large library of Victorian books. His principal interest had been Pugin and he came to play a key role in the refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster. In 1988, he was appointed Assistant Keeper in the department of Furniture and Interior Design, adn in 1989 he published his thesis The romantic interior: the British collector at home, 1750-1850.

His other works included Furniture in the Palace of Westminster (1974), jointly with John Hardy, and High Victorian design (1974), collaborating with Simon Jervis.

Wainwright was elected to the Society of Antiquaries of London on 6 December 1973, and was a member of its Council in 1980.

Clive Wainwright, PhD. died on 2 July 1999.