William Dacres Adams

Adams, William Dacres (1775-1862), of Old House, Sydenham. Elder son of William Adams (1752-1811) and his wife Anna Maria, daughter of Richard Dacres of Leatherhead (Surrey); born December 1775. Private Secretary to Prime Minister (Pitt the Younger, 1804-06; Duke of Portland, 1807-09); Commissioner of Woods and Forests 1811-34. He married 1804 Elizabeth (d. 1814), second daughter of Mayow Wynell Mayow of Sydenham (Kent) and had issue:

1. William Pitt Adams (1804-52), diplomat; born 11 December 1804; m. Georgiana Emily (1815-92), daughter of Robert Lukin esq (who married 2ndly, Gen. Sir Henry Warre KCB) and had issue a daughter; died at Lima (Peru), 1 September 1852;
2. Rev. Dacres Adams (1806-71) (q.v.);
3. Mayow Wynell Adams (1809-98) (q.v.);
4. Rev. Herbert George Adams (1814-51), vicar of Cornwood (Devon), m. Eleanor (d. 1900), daughter of Baldwin Fulford esq;
5. Elizabeth Mary Adams

He inherited the Bowden House estate from his father in 1811; and in right of his wife the Old House, Sydenham estate in 1807, and lived at Sydenham. Bowden House was occupied by his younger brother. At his death Bowden House passed to his eldest surviving son and the Sydenham property to his third son.

He died 8 June 1862, aged 86 and was buried at Sydenham, 14 June 1862, where he is commemorated by a monument in the churchyard. Will proved 29 August 1862 (estate under £35,000).

Source: "(30) Adams of Bowden House, Totnes and Old House, Sydenham", Landed families of Britain and Ireland Blog, Nick Kingsley

Other References

• Burke, Bernard, Sir. A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland 6th ed. London : Harrison 1879. Vol I. page 4