b. 17/01/1855 Banbridge, County Down, Ireland. d. 31/07/1920 Banbridge, County Down.
DATE OF AM ACTION: 03/12/1913 Banbridge Gasworks, County Down.
Hugh Adamson was born in Banbridge, County Down, the son of Joseph and Martha Adamson (nee Williams). Hugh became a painter and decorator prior to the incident which led to the award of the Albert Medal. On April 2nd, 1877, he married Margaret Robinson in Banbridge and they went on to have a son. Hugh died in 1920 and was buried in Forrestdale Cemetery, Banbridge.
AM CITATION:
On the afternoon of the 3rd December last the manager of the Banbridge Gasworks, County Down, was engaged in examining a gas exhauster which had become choked, when a loud explosion occurred, blowing out the window of the engine-house. Hugh Adamson, who is a labourer employed at the Gasworks, had just left the engine-house on a message for the manager, and was thrown down by the force of the explosion. On getting up he saw the exhauster house in flames, and, hearing the manager’s call for help, burst open the door, which had jammed. He found the manager enveloped in flames, but managed to drag him outside and then collapsed. On recovering Adamson succeeded in turning the gas into another gasometer, thereby saving the premises from being blown up, though the engine-house was actually destroyed. Adamson was severely burned, and the manager succumbed to his injuries a few days later.
BURIAL LOCATION: FORRESTDALE CEMETERY, BANBRIDGE, COUNTY DOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: HELD BY THE FAMILY.
Acknowledgement:
Allan Stanistreet – Image of Adamson AM Grave in Banbridge, County Down.