Dave Adamson

Challenge Cup Competition
Carlton Captain: 1867
Committee Member: May 17 1865
DOB: 1841 Scotland
DOD: May 12 1897
Career: 1865 - 1868

Possibly a pioneer player in 1864.

Image: 1870 - 1871 Dave Adamson, Victorian Railways clerk. Photo enlarged cropped and adjusted. (RofAd/wikitree watmuff collection)

1865 May 27
Named in the team squad that played against Melbourne Grammar on the Myall Ground, Prahran.

"Modest Dave" Adamson one of three ( Frank Hillsden , Harry Chadwick ) to lead The Blues in 1867.
(Centenary Souvenir of Carlton Football Club p6)

1867 Adamson one of 10 Carlton players selected to play in North vs South match in last game of season. North won.

1868 The Argus has Adamson named as captain of the Carlton side to play Geelong on Monday 25th. May.
Adamson (captain) named in squad to play Emerald Hill at Emerald Hill, Saturday 6th. June 1868. (The Argus)

1868 Captained Carlton in the first match against Melbourne (drawn game) at the Melbourne ground.
Adamson was an outstanding player in the 1868 season.
(The Carton Story. H.Buggy and H.Bell p16)

1868 September 16
At a meeting of the Carlton Cricket Club at Polmer's Hotel Carlton Club Hotel on Tuesday 15th; D. Adamson was appointed hon. treasurer. (Argus p5)
He was a regular player for the Carlton Cricket Club.

Mark Pennings in his book Origins of Australian Football Vol.1 speculates that the player holding the ball in this 1868 photo may be Dave Adamson. The only 1868 match in which Dave was named captain was for the opening game of the season against Geelong which was played at Royal Park.
Ben James is standing far left, Dave Adamson is holding the ball, Jack Conway is on our left of Adamson, Robert Robertson is the tall man in the black hat four players to the right of Adamson.

2025 August, the only two missing images of Carlton Captains have now been found. The photos of Dave Adamson and Harry Chadwick complete the collection. Looking at the above team photo the person on our left of the ball-holder looks a lot like Dave Adamson. If so, who is the player holding the ball, Jack Conway?

1893 May 25
Original Carlton player George F. Bowen writing under the name of "Olympus" in the Melbourne Punch (p10) recalls Dave Adamson crossing to Melbourne along with Harry Chadwick and James Byrne in 1868.
The 1958 publication The Carlton Story mentions Byrne, Chadwick and Charles Forrester crossing to Melbourne in 1868.
Perhaps George got confused with Forrester.
According to Pennings' Vol. 5 (p157) Dave Adamson did play with Melbourne 1868 - 1869.

1897 May 14
ADAMSON - The Friends of the late Mr. DAVID ADAMSON (late Victorian Railways) are respectfully invited to follow his remains to the place of interment, the Melbourne General Cemetery.
The funeral will leave his late residence, No. 32 St. Vincent place south, Albert-park, THIS DAY (Friday, 14th May, 1897), at half past 2 o'clock punctually. (The Age p1)

REVEALED HISTORIC PHOTOS

Carlton historian Tony De Bolfo's article on Harry Chadwick and Dave Adamson
https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/1875654/revealed-first-historic-image-of-carltons-inaugural-captain