Person

Joseph Spencer Adamson was born in Durham City on 14-Jul-1887. He was the son of Stephen Adamson (b. 1858) from Oakenshaw and Cicely Spencer (b.1859) from Swalwell. Joseph’s parents were married in Durham in 1880 and he had one brother Matthew (b. 1881). In 1891, at the time of the census, the family were living at 9 North Road, Durham where the head of the household is noted as working as a House and Sign Painter.

No record of Joseph or family can be found in the 1901 census but by the next census he had met and married Florence Francis Shuttleworth in Birmingham in 1906. At the 1911 census, Joseph was working as a photographer and was a boarder at 36 Croft Road, Blyth, Northumberland. His wife was living with her mother at this time at 13 Piddock Road, Smethwick, Birmingham.

Joseph joined the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) as F51588, Air Mechanic 2nd class, on 06-Mar-1918 for the duration of hostilities. His civilian occupation is noted as Photographer and he was given this trade within the service. He entered the RNAS via two days at Crystal Palace followed by three weeks at Tregantle in Cornwall. He was then posted to Chingford for almost one month. Chingford was the centre for training photographers within the RNAS.

While he was at Chingford, Joseph was transferred to the Royal Air Force (RAF) when it combined the personnel from the RNAS and Royal Flying Corps into a single air service on 01-Apr-1918. On transfer, RNAS men were usually given a new service number by adding a two and any zeros to their RNAS number to give a new six figure number. However, for reasons that are not known, Joseph was given a new service number of 251647. His rank became Air Mechanic 3rd class, which was his equivalent grade within the new RAF structure, and he continued to work in the trade of Photographer.

At the end of April 1918, Joseph was posted to Longside near Aberdeen which was the most northerly air ship station in mainland Britain. There were 1500 personnel based at the station at Longside and the facilities included a swimming pool, shops, a theatre and Church. There was also a gas works within the site. Joseph spent the rest of his war service at Longside until he was discharged via Edinburgh Castle Dispersal Camp on 31-Mar-1918. He transferred to the RAF G Reserve with effect from 30-Apr-1919 and was officially exempt from being recalled to active service from 30-Apr-1920.

Joseph’s RAF record shows his wife was living at 12 Kingsholm Square, Gloucester while he was serving. It is uncertain what happened to Joseph after he left the RAF except for a clue that he may have returned to Durham as there were bankruptcy proceedings reported in the London Gazette in 1930 against a Joseph Spencer Adamson residing and carrying on business as a photographer at City Studio, 69 Saddler Street in the County of Durham. Nothing further is known with certainty about Joseph after this time.

Joseph Spencer Adamson was awarded the British War Medal for his service in World War One.

Civil Parish: Durham

Birth date: 14-Jul-1887

Armed force/civilian: Air Force

Residence: 9 North Road, Durham City (1891 census)
36 Croft Road, Blyth, Northumberland (1911 census)
12 Kingsholm Square, Gloucester (1919 RAF service record)
City Studio, 69 Saddler Street, Durham City (1930 Bankruptcy Proceedings)

Military service:

Enlisted in Royal Naval Air Service, F51588, Air Mechanic 2nd class 06-Mar-1918
Transferred to Royal Air Force, 251647, Air Mechanic 3rd class, 01-Apr-1918
Discharged to RAF Reserve 30-Apr-1919

Gender: Male

Contributed by David D, Stanley, Co Durham