| Personal | Pedigree | |
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Herbert Arthur Adams was born 25 MAR 1906 in 13 Kenilford Road, Balham.. He died 31 AUG 1981 in Haroldwood Hospital, Haroldwood, Essex.. He was the son of Herbert John Adams (1878-1940) and Florence Sarah Lois Bowden (1876-1955). His siblings were Wilfrid George Adams, Harold William Adams (1911-?).
Herbert Arthur Adams's wife was Dora Hatch. They were married 26 JUN 1935 in Holy Trinity Church, Upper Tooting, Wandsworth.. They had one known child named Peter John Adams.
His occupation was . The place was Cable and Wireless Operator.
His education was . The dates were BET. 10 SEP 1918 - 10 DEC 1921. The place was Selhurst Grammar School.
Herbert was known to his friends as Buddy..He was educated initially a
t Ecclesbourne Road Junior School and then Selhurst Grammar School. . Wh
ist at Selhurst he was a contemporary of Malcolm Muggeridge the Journali
st/Broadcaster. He joined the Indo - European Cable Co with later becam
e Cable and Wireless.
Herbert and his brothers were keen scouts being members of the St Saviou
r Church Croydon Scout Troop where he was also in the Church Choir. Th
e Choir Master and Scout Leader was Charlie Carter, who with his wife Ma
b were God Parents to Herbert s son Peter.
Herbert was also a keen sprinter and won several prizes although when en
tered for the Father race by his son he failed dismally unlike his son w
ho was the champion wheelbarrow and one the race several years running.
Herbert was an operator for Cable and Wireless both Morse and Teleprinti
ng. During the War he was part of their Mobile Wireless Units, he was pa
rt of their Mobile Wireless Units he was a member of Unit 1 (Known as TE
L COM) which was called The Blue Train. He followed the War Corresponden
ts through the Italian Campaign. He then served with them in Colombo, Sr
i Lanka, Rangoon, Burma and Batavia now known as Jakarta. After WW2.( th
e UK part of C & W was nationalized and became part of the Post Office
) he served in Lagos Nigeria and was seconded to Accra, Ghana to cover t
he Independence Celebrations for the Press. On return to the UK he stopp
ed off in Rome and renewed his friendship with Eva the widow of a Nava
l Commander in Mussolini Navy. He had been billeted with the family duri
ng the Italian Campaign and they had enjoyed the Opera together. Eva bec
ame his third wife. On his return he became the Head of the Communicatio
ns Department for Rootes Car Company which became part of Chrysler and t
hen had a similar position with Texas Instruments before finally retirin
g to Italy.
Among his interests were amateur operatic, he had a fine tenor voice bef
ore drink and smoking ruined it and played the lead in several productio
ns of the Exiles Amateur Operatic Company such as the Student Prince, Va
gabond King and Monsieur Becaire. His brother Harold and his wife Florri
e recalled returning home on a late night train hearing a tenor in ful
l flow in the adjoining compartment who on alighting they discovered t
o be Hebert, the worse for wear. They helped him to Joes Coffee Stall a
t Thornton Heath Pond for sobering up. It is understood this was a frequ
ent habit. Joes was still there when his son was a boy.
Herbert was also a keen motorcyclist and owned amongst others a Brough S
uperior and Velocette KTT. He and his friends used to bike down to the C
ommercial Inn, Bishopsteigton near Teignmouth. The Inn was run by Bill M
ole and he still ran the Inn when Herbert took his 15 years old son Pete
r to Torbryan the next village to Ipplepen where unknown at that time th
e Adams family came from.