Adams was born in 1849 and educated in
Lewes,
Sussex,
England.[2] After completing his
articles as an apprentice architect, he worked as an assistant to
Sir William Emerson and commenced independent practice in 1873.[3][4] He was awarded
ARIBA in 1876 and FRIBA in 1886.[3] His wife was Emily (died 1927) and their marriage lasted 60 years: they had one son and six daughters.[5] He retired in 1923 and died on 17 August 1933 in
Brentford,
Middlesex.[3][6]
Work
He was Architect to
Brighton Council and from 1872 till his retirement was editor of the weekly Building News, whose owner
John Passmore Edwards also commissioned him for many buildings, notably in the
Bedford Park garden suburb, designing several houses there and completing
St Michael and All Angels.[2][3][4][5] In 1878 he moved to Bedford Park, and was one of the first two
churchwardens of St Michael and All Angels.[5] He was a prolific architect of public libraries.[2] Other work included
Camberwell Polytechnic and Art Gallery and country houses in England, Australia and the USA.[4] He published several books including Artists' Homes (1883) and Modern Cottage Architecture (1904).[7]