Frederic Boase - Modern English Biography (volume 1 of 4) A-H

ADAMS, Thomas. b. 5 Sep. 1785; studied music under Thomas Busby 1796; organist of Carlisle chapel, Lambeth 1802–14; of St. Paul’s, Deptford 22 March 1814–1824; and of St. George’s, Camberwell 1824 to death; St. George’s was opened 26 March 1824, when an anthem by him, for 5 voices was performed; organist of St. Dunstan in the West, Fleet st. 1833 to death; published many organ pieces, fugues and voluntaries, besides 90 interludes, several variations, and many vocal pieces. d. Addington place, Camberwell, London 15 Sep. 1858.

ADAMS, Thomas. b. Worksop 5 Feb. 1807; apprenticed to a draper at Newark 1821–28; entered house of Messrs. Boden; a lace merchant in Stoney st. Nottingham 1830; built new warehouse in Stoney st., to which he removed, 10 July 1855; converted his business into company of “Thomas Adams & Co., limited” 1862; chairman and managing director 1862 to death; lived at Lenton Firs 1844 to death. d. there 16 May 1873. bur. in cemetery, Nottingham 24 May; Memorials of T. Adams, by Rev. W. Milton 1874 portrait .

ADAMS, William ( youngest son of Patience Thomas Adams of Bushey Grove, Herts, Filazer of Court of King’s Bench, who d. 2 May 1793, in his 57th year, by Martha only child of Thomas Marsh of London, she d. 19 Feb. 1795 in her 54th year ). b. 39 Hatton Garden, London 13 Jany. 1772; ed. at Tunbridge school; matriculated at Trinity Hall, Cam. 17 Dec. 1788; Fell. of his hall to 1803; contested the mastership, Dec. 1815; admitted to college of Advocates 4 Nov. 1799, lived there 1799–1811; one of the Comrs. to prepare tables of fees, and regulate practice of Vice Admiralty Courts abroad 14 Nov. 1811; Comr. to negociate and conclude a treaty of peace with United States 30 July 1814; Comr. of Inquiry into duties of Courts of Justice in England 9 Feb. 1815–1824; one of the Plenipotentiaries to treat of, and conclude a convention of commerce between Great Britain and United States, June 1815; one of Counsel for Queen Caroline’s divorce bill 6 July 1820; retired from practice, Sep. 1825; resided at Thorpe in Surrey 1836 to death. ( m. (1) at Kensworth, Herts 31 Aug. 1803 Sarah dau. of Rev. Thomas Scott, R. of King’s Stanley, Gloucs, she d. 3 Feb. 1806. m. (2) at Marylebone church 6 April 1811 Mary Anne 3 dau. of Hon. W. Cockayne of Rushton hall, Northamptonshire, she was raised by patent to the rank of a Viscount’s daughter 4 September 1831, she died 16 June 1873). d. Thorpe, Surrey 11 June 1851. bur. Thorpe churchyard 17 June. G.M. xxxvi , 197–200 (1851).

ADAMS, William. Member of firm of Hamilton, Adams & Co. publishers. d. The Limes, Clapham road 23 Feb. 1872 aged 75.

ADAMS, William Bridges. b. London 1797; a carriage builder in Long Acre; travelled over great part of Europe and America; pupil of John Farey civil engineer; invented the fish-joint for railway rails 1847, this joint is still universally used on railways; made many valuable improvements in rolling stock; manufactured railway plant at works at Bow, London but failed; patented improvements in carriages, in ship propulsion, guns and wood carving; took out no less than 32 patents; author of English pleasure carriages 1837; Railways and permanest way 1854; Roads and Rails 1862, and of very many articles in scientific and technical periodicals; wrote several political pamphlets under the pseudonym of Junius Redivivus. ( m. 1834 Sarah dau. of Benjamin Flower of Great Harlow, Essex, she was b. 22 Feb. 1805, wrote many poems and hymns, and d. Aug. 1848). d. Broadstairs 23 July 1872. bur. at St. Peters. Engineering 26 July 1872 p. 63.

ADAMS, William Dacres. b. 16 Dec. 1775; confidential sec. to William Pitt during his last administration May 1804 to Feb. 1806; a comr. of woods and forests 31 July 1810 to 23 Aug. 1834. d. Sydenham 8 June 1862.

ADAMS, William Henry ( second son of Thomas Adams of Norman Cross, Hunts, by Anna Maria dau. of W. Fair of Romsey, Hants ). b. Norman Cross 1809; compositor in a printing office in London; manager of Lincolnshire Herald at Boston 1834; law reporter for the Morning Herald ; barrister M.T. 24 Nov. 1843; went northern circuit; Auditor of the Poor law accounts for Lincoln, Nottingham and Rutland districts 1856; M.P. for Boston (lib. conserv.) 27 March 1857 to 23 April 1859; mayor of Boston twice; Recorder of Derby 10 Jan. 1859; Attorney General for colony of Hong Kong 19 April 1859; Mem. of legislative council there 2 Feb. 1860 and Chief Justice 5 July 1860. ( m. (1) 1832 Anne dau. of Thomas Walford. m. (2) 1 June 1864 Ellen Williams eld. dau. of Edward Cobb of Kensington). d. Plas Llyssyn, Carno, Montgomeryshire 29 Aug. 1865. bur. Carno 6 Sep. I.L.N. xxxvii , 467 (1860) portrait .

ADAMS, William Henry. b. Malta; captain 36 foot 3 July 1840 to 7 June 1844, when placed on half pay; professor of fortification at R.M. college, Sandhurst 1845–70. d. Athenæum st. Plymouth 20 Dec. 1883 aged 79.

ADAMS, William James. b. London 1809; articled to a solicitor; London agent for Bradshaw’s railway map about 1838; published Bradshaw’s railway guide for the proprietors at 170 Fleet St. 1841–43 and at 59 Fleet st. 1843 to death; the 1st number is dated Dec. 1841, and consisted of about 38 pages; the continental Bradshaw was started 1847. d. 59 Fleet st. London 21 Dec. 1873. Athenæum 27 Dec. 1873 ; 17 Jany 1874, and 24 Jany 1874 .

ADAMS, William Pitt. b. 11 Dec. 1804; chargé d’affaires and consul general to republic of Peru 30 Nov. 1842 to death. d. Lima 1 Sep. 1852.

ADAMSON, Rev. Henry Thomas; ed. at St. John’s coll. Cam., B.D. 1864; V. of Benthall Salop 1871–77; chaplain at Turin 1877–78; at Nervi 1880; author of The analogy of the faith 1869; The truth as it is in Jesus 1878; The three sevens 1880; The Millenium 1882. d. Lyons 29 May 1882 in 66 year.

ADAMSON, John ( 3 son of Cuthbert Adamson, lieut. R.N. by his 2 wife Mary dau. of John Huthwaite of Seaton Delaval near Newcastle ). b. High st. Gateshead 13 Sep. 1787; ed. at Newcastle gr. sch.; articled to Thomas Davidson of Newcastle, attorney; practised at Newcastle 1808 to death; undersheriff there 1811–36; sec. to Newcastle and Carlisle railway company 1829 to death; member of Literary and philosophical society of Newcastle 1811, one of its secretaries 1825 to death; treasurer and sec. of “The Antiquarian society of Newcastle” 11 Feb. 1813 to death; one of the 4 founders of Typographical society of Newcastle; K.C. and K.T.S. of Portugal; F.L.S. 1823, F.S.A., F.R.G.S. 1830; author of Memoirs of life and writings of Luis de Camoens 1820, 2 vols ; Lusitania illustrata notices of the history of Portugal, 2 parts 1842–46 . ( m. 3 Dec. 1812 Elizabeth dau. of Samuel Huthwaite of Seaton Delaval, she d. 5 July 1855). d. 9 Victoria terrace Jesmond road, Newcastle 27 Sep. 1855. bur. Jesmond cemetery 1 Oct. Dibdin’s Northern tour i , 369–91 (1838); Martin’s Catalogue of privately printed books 1834, 419–40.

Note.—His library which contained a probably unrivalled collection of books relating to Portugal was nearly entirely destroyed by fire 16 April 1849, the remainder was sold at Sotheby’s in London 22 May 1856.

ADCOCK, James. b. Eton 1778; chorister in St. George’s chapel Windsor and Eton college chapel 1786; lay clerk in St. George’s chapel 1797 and in Eton college chapel 1799; member of choirs of Trinity, St John’s and King’s colleges Cambridge; master of the choristers of King’s college; published several of his glees and The rudiments of singing, with about 30 solfeggi to assist persons wishing to sing at sight . d. Union road, Cambridge 30 April 1860.