The Adams family of Potters

"The Adams family descends from a family of that name owning lands in Tunstall as far back as 1299, branches of which settled in Shropshire and other neighbouring counties as generations went by.

Members of the family were Potters as early as 1447. They rose to eminence in the trade in the eighteenth century as Master Potters in Burslem and other parts of the Potteries, working constantly side by side with the Tofts, Astburys, Daniels, Wedgwoods. Warburtons, Woods and Mayers, and intermarried with all of those families, except, perhaps, that of Toft.

They were pioneers of the trade in North Staffordshire, and the earlier generations helped to pave the way for such eminent Potters as Thomas Whieldon (1719-1795); Josiah Wedgwood (1730-1795); John Turner (1733-1786); Josiah Spode (1733-1797), and his son Josiah; William Adams (1746-1805); William Adams (1772-1829); Thomas Minton (1765-1834), and others...."

"Ten Generations of a Potting Family"

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Adams clock tower, Tunstall

THE ADAMS CLOCK TOWER, TUNSTALL PARK, STAFFORDSHIRE

Erected in the year 1907
By the workpeople and firm of William Adams & Co., of Greenfield, Greengates, and Newfield, to the memory of
WILLIAM ADAMS, OF GREENFIELD, ESQUIRE
Born June 13th, 1833. Died March 5th, 1905.

A well known manufacturer of this Town.

On the organisation of the Volunteer movement of 1859, he was one of the first to offer himself, & in 1867 was made Lieut.-Colonel of the 1st Vol. Batt., N.S. Regiment. In 1872 he was. appointed to the Commission of the Peace for the County; & in the same year he became Chief Bailiff of this Town.

He was descended from a long line of Master Potters who helped considerably to achieve the world wide repute which English Pottery has attained One of the factories he controlled was founded by his predecessor

WILLIAM ADAMS

THE FAMOUS STAFFORDSHIRE POTTER
Baptized June I5th, 1746. Died January 10th, 1805.

Who built the first important Potteries in this Town.

The Adams Clock Tower records......

William Adams held lands in Tunstall 1307

Richard Adams owned coal mines in Tunstall 1487

William Adams worked a pottery near here 1590

John Adams chief constable of Tunstall Manor Court 1616

William Adams of Tunstall
1777 - 1805

William Adams of Greenfield
1833 - 1905

NIL DESPERANDUM
"Do not despair"
the family motto

the coat of arms, with a shield surmounted by a boar's head and a knight's helm and mantling. The shield is bisected vertically, and bears three cats on the left hand side and three tridents on the right. These are the arms of William Adams (1833-1905), impaled with those of his wife, Laura Eliza nee Worthington.

Arms of W Adams
from the Parish Church, Stoke-on-Trent
[St. Peter Ad Vincula]

William Adams of Greengates, Tunstall
1746-1805
from the bronze medallion at the Whitworth
Art Galleries, Manchester