Older brother of Josep Anselm and Antoni Clavé. He date of birth is uncertain: 1816 or 1817.

Francesc Clavé dedicated his life to the federal republican project. Starting in the 1840s, he collaborated with his brothers Josep Anselm and Antoni, Abdó Terrades, Francesc de Paula Cuello and Narcís Monturiol until the First Spanish Republic. He was particularly involved during the key years of the federalist movement, in 1856 and 1868.

We know that in 1881, his name was included in the list of members of the Democratic Governmental Committee of Barcelona. In 1883, he opened a music store in Barcelona, on the mezzanine floor of Hospital Street no. 42-44. He sold the most recently published musical scores, by Ricordi editions (Milan), Schott (Brussels), Peters (Leipzig), and the published works by his brother, JA Clavé. In 1888, he led a procession at the inauguration of the monument erected in honor of Josep Anselm on the Rambla de Catalunya.

After the death of his brothers, and before his retirement from political life, he was appointed accounting officer of the Council in Barcelona. As a mathematician, he had participated in the elaboration of the study that led to Ildefons Cerdà’s urban planning for Barcelona.

He never married and lived with the family of his brother, Josep Anselm. He died in 1893 and at the funeral there were personalities from the Council of Barcelona, ​​the Cerdà family and representatives of the choral societies.