Skip to main content

The Papers of Rear-Admiral John Adams

 Fonds
Reference Code: GBR/0014/ADMS

Scope and Contents

The collection primarily consists of papers relating to Adams' involvement with submarine warfare and includes papers on anti-submarine warfare and the Admiralty underwater weapons establishment.

Dates

  • Creation: 1948 - 1965

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge.

One file within the collection is closed to researchers.

Biographical / Historical

John Harold Adams was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne on 19 December 1918 and was educated at Glenalmond.

In 1936 he joined the Navy, serving with the Home Fleet, (1937-39); and during the Second World War in the Western Approaches, Channel and North Africa (1939-42) for which he was mentioned in despatches. His naval positions and work included: Staff Captain (D) at Liverpool (1943-45); Staff Course, Greenwich (1945); Commander HM Yacht Britannia (1954-57); Assistant Director of the Underwater Weapons Matériel Department (1957-58); Captain (SM) 3rd Submarine Squadron, HMS Adamant (1958-60) and Captain Superintendent, Underwater Detection Establishment, Portland. He subsequently worked for the Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment (1960-62); commanded HMS Albion (1964-66); and became Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy) from 1966-68. Adams became a Lieutenant in 1941; Lieutenant-Commander in 1949; Commander in 1951; Captain in 1957; and Rear-Admiral in 1966. He retired from the Navy in 1968.

Adams' other positions included Director of the Paper and Paper Products Industry Training Board (1968-71); Director of the Employers’ Federation of Papermakers and Boardmakers (1972-73); and Director General of the British Paper and Board Industry Federation (1974-83).

In 1943 Adams married Mary Parker (the marriage was dissolved in 1961) with whom he had one son (deceased). He married his second wife, Ione Eadie, in 1961, with whom he has two sons and two daughters. He died in November 2008.

Extent

2 archive box(es) : paper

Language of Materials

English

Other Finding Aids

The collection has been catalogued and the catalogue is available for consultation at Churchill Archives Centre and the National Register of Archives.

General

This collection level description was prepared by Natalie Adams using information from Who Was Who 1897-1996 (A and C Black). The collection was catalogued by Allen Packwood.

Originator(s)

Adams, John Harold (1918-2008), Rear Admiral

Date
2001-09-11 10:13:57+00:00
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Churchill Archives Centre Repository

Contact:
Churchill Archives Centre
Churchill College
Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB3 0DS United Kingdom
+44 (0)1223 336087