Adam, Matthew

ADAM, Matthew (c1839-1919) was born at Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, eldest son of James Adam, glazier, and Janet Cuthbertson. He trained and worked as a glazier with his father for seven years before he married Jane Menzies at Paisley and migrated to Australia with her family arriving in Brisbane in November 1862. He commenced business as an ironmonger in Stanley Street, South Brisbane but in March 1865, when the neighbouring Travellers’ Rest hotel caught fire, Adam’s dwelling and premises were also destroyed. After rebuilding as a large brick shop with a three-room timber cottage behind, depressed conditions following the failure of the Agra and Masterman’s Bank in 1866 led to the property being sold at his risk in 1868. After it was purchased by his father in law, Adam remained in business as a glazier and glass cutter, ironmonger and storekeeper for over 50 years. He was also a speculative builder in Brisbane and at Wynnum which he named. In the land boom of the 1880s he acquired 85 acres at Tingal Hill and with two partners developed the first hotel (The Hastings] at Wynnum in 1881 which he may have designed, and also called tenders for various houses and villa residences which he let, and a jetty, also at Wynnum. In due course he profitted from the opening of the railway in 1889. His brother James Adam (c1843-1910) was librarian of the South Brisbane Technical College.