Photo from Rev. Youngson
Captain Charles Young Adamson
Medal Index Card
Sunderland Echo Monday 23/09/1918
Sunderland Echo Tuesday 24/09/1918
Charles [Charlie], Young Anderson was born at Cross House, Neville's Cross on the 18th April 1875, to John Adamson, [born 1845, Little Grant in Wisconsin, USA, died on the 29th December 1931, Neville's Cross, Durham], a Corn Merchant and his wife Annie, nee Young, [born in Durham 1851]. They married in Durham in 1872.
Charles was the second eldest of six children, Robert William Adamson, born 1873, Frederick [Fred] born 1877, Annie born 1880, Ethel born 1883 and Jane Francis [Jeanie], born 1885. All at Neville's Cross, Durham.
In 1881, they were residing with her parents at Neville's Cross, and John was employing a Clerk and a boy.
Charles was educated at Durham School between 1887 and 1895.
His father John as was Charles had a strong link to cricket, his father had represented Durham, in 1866.
Charles was brother-in-law to Lewis Vaughan Lodge, who played international Football for England. Charles played cricket for Durham and played in Durham's first Minor Counties Championship in 1895. He played at Lords in 1898, against the M.C.C. He played cricket for Durham right up to 1914.
Charles also was a Rugby Player, a fly half representing Durham and in 1898 he was chosen to be part of the touring side The Barbarians. Though never chosen for the English National side, he was invited to tour with the British Isles team on its first official tour of Australia in 1899.
He was selected in 20 matches and earned 4 caps and scored 17 points from test matches. He became the Tour's top scorer. The British team won the series 3-1.
After the 1899 rugby tour, Charles remained in Queensland and played cricket for the Valley District Cricket Club and played in a cricket match for Queensland, he scored 10 runs and bowled 12 overs for 67 runs but no wickets. Left handed bowler and batsman.
He enlisted into the Fourth (Queensland Imperial Bushmen) contingent and was a Private service number 273 on the 19th April 1900. He departed from Pinkenba [a Brisbane port] on the "SS Manchester Port" on the 18th May 1900. He arrived at Beira on the 14th June 1900, then onward to Port Elizabeth on the 20th June then Cape Town. arriving on the 23rd June 1900. He was promoted to a Corporal on the 1st June 1900, them QMS [Quarter Master Sergeant] on the 6th April 1901. He was discharged in South Africa and returned home to England on the 5th August 1901.
Charles was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with date clasp 1901. Also with South Africa Medal with three clasps, Cape Colony Orange Free State and Transvaal.
On his return to England, Charles played Rugby for Bristol in the 1901-02 season.
He then returned to Co Durham and played for Durham County against the All Blacks in their first tour on the 7th October 1905. The All Blacks won 16-3.
His record at Durham, reads as Old Dunelmians, Durham City, Bristol, 1894-1907 Ch 26 (30g, 2Dg, 8pg, 7t) F. I. A member of the British Team Touring abroad, International Trial, North or South Cap.
He was employed by his father, a stock and sharebroker in Saddler Street, Durham City.
He married in Stockton in 1905, Katherine Margaret Lodge of Stockton, [born Abervergeny. Monmouthshire], who was residing then at 28 Nevilledale, Durham City. They had two children, Charles Lodge Adamson, born 18th May 1906, at Haverton Hill, Durham, [died on the 18th November 1979], and John Alfred Adamson on the 14th April 1909, Neville's Cross, Durham, [died 8th July 1968, Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire]. Both of his sons played cricket. Charles Lodge Adamson was Durham School Captain in 1925 and in 1934, he played one match in the Minor Counties.
On the 20th July 1910, the Minor Counties Championship between Durham v Norfolk the Durham home side made a disastrous start, the match started at eleven thirty at the Asbrooke Cricket club in Sunderland, the weather was warm though dull. Wicket was considered easy. T. Coulson home captain won the toss and decided to bat, openers were H. Brooks and C. Y. Adamson. The bowling was opened by Falcon and Allsopp. Third ball, dismissed Brooke with a catch at point. Two maiden overs later, the first delivery of the 4th over, Adamson was bowled off his pads by Allsop. By the time rain started the score was just 9 runs for 5 wickets.
Source : Sunderland Echo 20/07/1910.
Durham City Averages were printed in the Sunderland Echo on Friday 23rd September 1910. Durham City, the winners of the Durham Senior League, played 23 games, winning 17 lost 2 and drawing 4. They scored 3,883 runs for 171 wickets, as against 2,488 runs obtained by their opponents for the loss of 203 wickets. C. Y. Adamson, the captain, headed both the batting and bowling averages. He played in 18 matches, scored 713 including a century, and had an average of 41.94. The bowling average was C. Y. Adamson Overs 276.1 Maidens 67, Runs 756, Wickets 71 Average 10.64.
In 1911, Charles and his family were residing at 28 Nevilledale, Neville's Cross. They had a servant May Pickering aged 25. He was now a stockbroker. Charles and his family made a trip to Australia on the White Star Dominion line ship Runic, returning on the 1st July 1913 from Melbourne to London.
Charles was initiated into the Freemasons on the 12th March 1914, passed 14th May and raised 11th June 1914.
When WW1 broke out he enlisted as a Temporary Quarter Master on the 21st December 1914. In the Gazette dated 20th January 1915, Charles is then gazetted a honorary rank of Temporary Lieutenant.
On the 1st April 1915, Charles on behalf of the Tyneside Scottish was at Longbenton Cemetery for the funeral of Mr Robert Christopher Whitfield, of Benton Cottage, Longbenton. He was a member of the Urban District Council and a member of the St Gabriel Lodge of Freemasons.
On Wednesday 19th May 1915, Charles is gazetted a temporary Captain in the 23rd Battalion (4th Tyneside Scottish) Northumberland Fusiliers.
On the 24th September 1915 he was transferred to the 29th Battalion as Quarter Master then transferred to the 87th Training Reserve Brigade.
Charles was working at Adamson and Wood, Hotel Proprietors and Beer, Wine and Spirit Merchants in a Partnership with William Henry Wood and John Adamson, at Saddler Street, Durham. This was dissolved by mutual consent on the 18th of October 1917.
Captain Charles was now attached to the 6th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers. The 6th Battalion was amalgamated with the 7th Battalion in May 1916. He was posted to Salonika with the 8th Battalion.
Charles was killed on the 17th September 1918 at the Second Battle of Doiran, attacking the Bulgarian positions named the The Tongue, The Knot and the Tassel.
Charles's Will dated 28th January left £1153 to James William Lodge Solicitor and Matthew Fowler Auctioneer.
Pat Culpan of the Valley Cricket Club in Brisbane Australia has sent us some information about Capt. Adamson which is on their club website - listed below.
He has also sent us the following about Capt. Adamson and the South African War:
273, Private, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen.
He departed Pinkenba (Brisbane port) on the 18th May 1900 on the SS Manchester Port and arrived at Beira on the 14th June 1900. Proceeded to Port Elizabeth (20th June 1900) and then sent to Cape Town and disembarked on the 23rd June 1900.He was promoted to Corporal on the 1st June 1900.
W. Bro. Revd. David T. Youngson, PPAG Chaplain, Northumberland has submitted the following:
The information given below in respect of some of the brethren is the best possible conclusions from Lodge records, Grand Lodge records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission
3568 City Lodge, Year of Warrant 1911, Freemasons’ Hall, Old Elvet, Durham City
Captain & QM (TP) Charles Young ADAMSON
Royal Scots Fusiliers 8th Battalion
The son of John Adamson of Little Grant, Wisconsin, USA. He was born on the 18th April 1875 at Neville’s Cross, Durham. Educated at Durham School. He was in partnership with his father and William Henry Wood running a hotel but the partnership was dissolved in October 1917. A keen sportsman he played Rugby for Durham and Bristol as a Half-back and was a Barbarian in 1898 and toured Australia with the British Isles team on the first official tour in 1899 when he was a prolific scorer. Whilst there he played in a first class cricket match for Queensland.
He played cricket for Durham City in the Durham Senior League and also for Durham County in the Minor Counties. A Stockbroker residing at Neville’s Cross, Durham he was Initiated on the 12th March 1914; Passed 14th May 1914 and Raised on the 11th June 1914. He was killed in action in Salonika, Greece on the 17th September 1918 aged 43.
Charles Young Adamson is remembered at Durham on D47.020, D47.029 , D47.036, in D47.43 page 200, D47.054, in D47.057 page 200, in D47.091 page 53, in D47.118 page 112, and D47.125, also in the Freemason's Roll of Honour and the Freemasons who served from Durham.
Valley Cricket Club, Brisbane, Australia
Anglo Boer War website
Durham Rugby Football Club
The CWGC entry for Captain Adamson
