John Henry Adamson (6 January 1873 – 2 October 1937) was an Australian rules footballer who played three games for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League between 1897 and 1898.Holmesby & Main (2014), p. 11.]
Family The eldest son of David Anderson (1841–1897),Deaths: Adamson, The Argus, (Thursday, 13 May 1897), p.1. and Elizabeth Calder Adamson (1850–1913), née Hastie,Marriages: Adamson—Hastie,, The Argus, (Friday, 22 March 1872), p. 4.Deaths: Adamson, The Argus, (Tuesday, 18 November 1913), p.1. John Henry Adamson was born at North Melbourne, Victoria on 6 January 1873. One of his younger brothers, David Hastie "Bud" Adamson (1874–1914), who also played for South Melbourne in both the VFA and VFL, was the South Melbourne (VFL) team's captain in 1899.
He married Jane Ellen "Jennie" Keen (1873–1952), in Fitzroy, Victoria on 28 March 1900.Marriages: Adamson—Keen, The Argus, (Saturday, 28 April 1900), p. 9.
Education He was educated at Albert Park State School.
Football A forward, he was described as being an excellent place kick.
South Melbourne (VFA) Adamson played for Napier Imperial, the South Melbourne junior side in the Metropolitan Junior Football Association, before graduating to play for four seasons (1893 to 1896) with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football Association.
Adamson won South Melbourne's VFA goal kicking in 1896. He played on the half-forward flank (with his brother Dave, at full-back) in South Melbourne's 1896 premiership match loss to Collingwood.Football, The Australasian, (Saturday, 10 October 1896), p. 17.Our Own Yesterdays, The (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 21 September 1935), p. 4.
South Melbourne (VFL) He played (alongside Dave) for South Melbourne, against Melbourne, at the Lake Oval, on 8 May 1897, in the team's first-ever match of the VFL's first season.
Cricket Adamson was also a noted cricketer; he was a wicketkeeper who played 6 first eleven games for South Melbourne.
Death Adamson lived in South Melbourne for most of his life and was a member of the local Masonic Lodge. He died at South Melbourne, Victoria on 2 October 1937;Deaths: Adamson, The Argus, (Monday, $ October 1937), p. 15. and was buried at Melbourne General Cemetery.
Notes
References Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2014), The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.), Melbourne, Victoria: Bas Publishing. Pennings, Mark (2016), Origins of Australian Football: Victoria's early History: Volume 4: Tough Times: Victorian Football loses its Way, 1891 to 1896, Brunswick, Victoria: Grumpy Monks Publishing.
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