Acton Adams
| Acton Adams | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Nelson |
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In office 1879–1881 |
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| Preceded by | John Sharp |
| Succeeded by | Henry Levestam |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Acton Blakeway Adams 1843 Wilden Manor, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, England |
| Died |
(aged 80) Knightsbridge, London, England |
| Spouse(s) | Harriette Frances Leadam (m. 1869) |
| Relations | William Adams (father) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
William Acton Blakeway Adams JP (1843 – 24 January 1924), known as Acton Adams, was a 19th-century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand.
Adams was born at Wilden Manor, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, England, in 1843. The Adams family was descended from a William Adams who inherited the property of the supposed Knight Sturmy, an 11th-century Crusader. There is an element of doubt around who Sturmy was. An 1830 publication states the John Sturmy of Tenbury was not a Crusader.
Adams was the oldest son of William Adams, an English solicitor. His father, together with his family, migrated to Nelson on the ship Eden in 1850, acquired two runs in Wairau and became leader of the separation movement between Nelson and the Wairau. The Wairau was later renamed Marlborough. His father was Marlborough's first Superintendent, the first Commissioner of Crown Lands, and afterwards member of the House of Representatives for Picton. On retiring from political life, his father returned to practising law, replacing William Travers in the Nelson firm of Travers and Kingdon. The firm's name was changed to Adams and Kingdon.
Adams attended Nelson College from 1857 to 1859 being both Head Boy and Captain of the Cricket team. While his father was involved in politics, Adams took over management of the Wairau sheep runs. In 1862 he joined Adams and Kingdon, being admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 1867. He left for England in 1867 to study law at the Inner Temple, London, and returned to Nelson in 1869 to become a junior partner in the firm. While in London Adams married Harriette Frances Leadam, on 27 July 1869. In 1878 Adams acquired a half-share in the Tarndale run from the Nathaniel Edwards. He later acquired the other half from John Kerr.
From 1873 to 1876, Adams represented the Nelson electorate in the Nelson Provincial Council. He was leader of the Opposition. He successfully ran against Colonel Pitt for election to the House of Representatives in the Nelson electorate in an 1879 by-election as a supporter of Sir John Hall. When the Grey Government was defeated in a confidence motion Adams was again elected as a supporter of the Hall Ministry. In 1881 Adams fell seriously ill and as his medical advisors considered he may not recover he resigned from Parliament. He also stepped down from his position with Adams and Kingdon at that time handing it over to his brother, Percy Adams. His resignation caused the 1881 by-election, which was won by Henry Levestam.
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