David Adams, Club President
David at the Club 50 birthday party in 2011.
I’m sad to report that Club President and founder David Adams passed away on Saturday 27th November, 2021. His funeral was held at St. Nicholas' Church, Newport with 4 Club members acting as pallbearers. If it wasn’t for David setting-up the Club 60 years ago, none of us would be enjoying and exploring Shropshire mines in the way we do today. Plans and surveys that David and colleagues produced in the 1960s are still used by the Club today (with a few updates). It has been one of his guiding principles for the Club to document and record our activities, which has resulted in numerous publications over the years.
During 2020 David started suffering health problems, including speech difficulties. Following a visit to a neurologist on the 17th August 2020 (after a long wait from the beginning of April due to COVID restrictions) he was diagnosed as having motor neurone disease. This was making it difficult for him to swallow and talk.
It was due to his speech problems that he felt unable to attend the Club zoom meetings during 2020 and early 2021. However, this didn’t stop him taking part in Club activities. It was good to see him at the talks on the Sunday of the NAHMO 2021 Conference and at the Club AGM in October this year, where his President's address was read out for him. As recently as 13th October he arranged and attended the Club Veteran’s Reunion at the Bradford Arms, Ivetsey Bank.
To give members a chance to contribute to an obituary commemorating David, if any club members, past or present, would like to write something about any memories, anecdotes etc. that they have of him please send them to the Secretary for inclusion in a more comprehensive obituary for the March issue of Below.
He was very proud of the Club and what it has done over the past 60 years and considered the founding of it to be one of his greatest achievements having brought interest and enjoyment to so many of us. Although with his passing, the knowledge of Shropshire mines he accumulated over a life-time will be sorely missed, luckily some of it is recorded in various Club publications.
At this sad time, our thoughts and condolences are with his wife Margaret.
Neal Rushton, Chair, Shropshire Caving & Mining Club
