William Naseby Adams was born in West Derby, Liverpool, England on 14 April 1887 and studied at Liverpool School of Architecture, Liverpool University where he was awarded a Dip. Arch in 1908. While a student he won first prize in a competition to design a block of cottages.
After graduating he remained in Liverpool and worked as an assistant to Briggs & Wolstenholme, and to Thornley & Hobbs. In c.1912 Adams formed a partnership with Duncan Alexander Campbell (1863-1970)
By 1918 Adams was in practice London and that year was elected an Associate of the Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA). By 1920 he was working as chief assistant to Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens (1869-1944). In 1923, with Eric Ross Arthur, he won a competition to design Dewsbury War Memorial.
He designed houses in Guildford and Gerrard's Cross and was Chief Assistant to Berry Webber on Peterborough Town Hall and Southampton Civic Centre.
In the late 1930s Adams was associated with the architectural firm Ashley & Newman in London. It is not known in what capacity, as a partner or as an assistant.
Adams's address was given as Carlton Chamber, 4 Regent Street, London in 1919; 14 Ladbrooke Grove, London in 1923 and 1933; 14 Gray's Inn Square, London in 1939; and The Furnace Field, Hailsham, East Sussex in 1952. He died in Hailsham, Sussex on 16 July 1952.
Armstrong, Barrie and Armstrong, Wendy. The Arts and Crafts movement in the North West of England: a handbook. Wetherby, England: Oblong Creative Ltd., 2006
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘Obituary’. Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects September 1952 p. 425
Sharples, Joseph, Powers, Alan and Shippobottom, Michael. Charles Reilly & the Liverpool School of Architecture 1904-1933. Catalogue of an exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 25 October 1996 - 2 February 1997. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 1996 p. 165 [Contains other references to Adams, unfortunately, the catalogue is not indexed]
Who’s Who in Architecture 1923. Edited by Frederick Chatterton. London: TYhe Architectural Press, 1923