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George Adams

George Adams was an important figure in the life of Schreiner’s close friend Edward Carpenter. Adams was working class and orphaned at a young age; he “worked as a gardener for a philanthropic family, who encouraged his interest in art.” He joined the Sheffield Socialists in the mid-1880s and “would later move to Millthorpe with his family, where he gardened, painted and made sandals.” (Rowbotham 2008: 86). George’s wife was Lucy Adams with whom he had two children, although he also had an ongoing relationship with Carpenter from the late 1880s too. He and Carpenter became estranged in 1897. Adams died in December 1910. Schreiner met up with Carpenter and Adams at Whitby in August 1887 and thereafter often asked after Adams in her letters to Carpenter, at one point referring to him as “my dear friend Adams”, and frequently asked Carpenter to send him her love. According to Sheila Rowbotham, “George Adams and Alf Mattison both carried a flame for Olive Schreiner” (Rowbotham 2008: 234) during the 1890s.

For further information see:
Sheila Rowbotham (2008) Edward Carpenter: A Life of Liberty and Love London: Verso
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collection icon National English Literary Museum, Grahamstown: The National English Literary Museum is the leading location for collections pertaining to the imaginative and creative writi... Show/Hide Collection Letters
collection icon Sheffield City Libraries, Archives & Local Studies: Edward Carpenter Collection, Archives & Local Studies, Sheffield City Libraries: The Edward Carpenter Collection is held ... Show/Hide Collection Letters
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