Gladstone Adams

Gladstone Adams was born in Newcastle and was one of ten children. 

After leaving school he became apprenticed to Matthew Auty, a well known photographer and became a professional photographer. He had two studios, one in Newcastle and one in Whitley Bay. He became the Chairman of the Professional Photographers Association and took the official launch photographs the Mauretania.

He was a passionate football fan and became Newcastle United's first official photographer. In April 1908, on driving back from the FA Cup Final at Crystal Palace (Newcastle United lost to Wolverhampton Wanderers) Gladstone and his passenger were subjected to heavy snow and had to stop to clear the window. This led to him developing a design for a windscreen wiper which was patented in 1911, but never produced. His original prototype can be seen in the Discovery Museum. 

Adams also served in World War 1 as a reconnaissance photographer.