Gladstone Murray Adams-Acton (known as Murray Adams-Acton) (1886–1971) was an English historian of art and architecture and interior designer of considerable flamboyance. Adams-Acton was the son of the sculptor

John Adams-Acton John Adams-Acton (11 December 1830 – 28 October 1910) was a British sculptor. Life He was born at Acton Hill, Middlesex, the son of William Adams, a tailor, and Helen Elizabeth Humphreys. Two sons and three daughters survived the father. The s ...

and his wife Marion (née Hamilton), better known as the writer Jeanie Hering. He designed the dining room to

Shirenewton Hall Shirenewton Hall, originally Shirenewton Court, is a country house and estate adjoining the village of Shirenewton, Monmouthshire, Wales, about west of Chepstow. The estate is located on a hillside, and commands views across the "Golden Valley ...

in 1910 and the interiors of a men's outfitter's shop, Swan & Edgar's in

Piccadilly Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road that connects central London to Hammersmith, Earl's Court, ...

, renovating it before it reopened in 1927. ''Book Review Digest'' described him in 1930 as a "charming draftsman". He was also adept as a furniture designer and inventor, and made numerous items including a toaster. As an expert, he also authored numerous publications on design, such as ''Domestic Architecture and Old Furniture'' and ''The Genesis and Development of Linenfold Panelling'' (1945). He also produced work about ecclesiastical architecture in France. Adams-Acton was also a keen gardener, noted in particular for his

rhododendron ''Rhododendron'' (; from Ancient Greek ''rhódon'' "rose" and ''déndron'' "tree") is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are nati ...

cultivation in the 1940s.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams Acton, Murray English art historians English architectural historians English interior designers English furniture designers 1886 births 1971 deaths English gardeners