Background
Leaver was born at the School House in Austwick, North Yorkshire where his father Peter was a teacher.
Leaver was born at the School House in Austwick, North Yorkshire where his father Peter was a teacher.
He was educated at Saint James School and the Burnley School of Artist
Soon after the family returned to Worsthorne near Burnley in Lancashire. Towards the end of this time he was awarded a Travelling Scholarship which enabled him to travel to Italy for 6 months (May - October 1911) where he studied painting and architecture. This was followed early the following year with a second travelling scholarship this time awarded by Royal Institute of British Architects (Royal Institute of British Architects), the Owen Jones Studentship, which took him back to Italy and from there to North Africa (February - August 1912).