Ian Adamson: Tributes paid to ex-Lord Mayor and MLA who was '˜a progressive thinker within unionism'

Posting news of Dr Adamson’s death on social media earlier today, his friend Erskine Holmes tweeted: “RIP Dr Ian Adamson OBE. Doctor, Politician, Historian and radical thinker. Founded Somme Association & restored Ulster Tower Thiepval to its rightful place as Northern Ireland World War I Memorial together with 16th Irish Division Cross at Guillemont. Good bye old friend & comrade.”

UUP Alderman Chris McGimpsey, who knew Dr Adamson for over 40 years and served with him on Belfast City Council, said he was deeply saddened to hear about his passing.

“I am very saddened to hear this news,” he told the News Letter. “Ian was an unusual and progressive thinker within unionism who always had a new and acute angle on any of our old problems. I am deeply saddened by his passing.”

Another former council colleague, Alderman Jim Rodgers, added: “As a very close colleague of mine over many years I am deeply saddened by Ian’s passing.

“He was a highly intelligent man, an outstanding Lord Mayor and a great character, but sadly he had not been in the best of health in recent years.

“My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and family circle at this sad time.”

Paying tribute to Dr Adamson, Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swann MLA said: “In addition to his political career he was a medical doctor and had a keen interest and provided a wealth of knowledge in the field of history, particularly local history and Ulster Scots, and was the author of numerous books and papers.

“He made a huge contribution to cultural and political life and will be greatly missed by his many colleagues and friends.”

UUP chairman Lord Empey, who served with Dr Adamson at both City Hall and Stormont, added: “Ian had a great sense of humour and dry wit. His flair for cultural issues particularly as they applied to the Ulster Scots tradition, were brought to life with his lectures and anecdotes. Those of us who were colleagues in the City Hall will miss him greatly.”

A Queen’s University graduate, Dr Adamson worked as a paediatrician for many years and was a specialist in community child health.

He was an Ulster Unionist member of Belfast City Council from 1989 until his retirement from active politics in 2011.

Dr Adamson served as Deputy Lord Mayor in 1994/95 and then Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1996/1997 and was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty The Queen in 1998 for services to local government.

He was elected as a UUP MLA for East Belfast in 1998 and served in that role until 2003.

A former High Sheriff of Belfast and the author of a number of books, he was also the personal physician and advisor on history and culture to Lord Bannside (Ian Paisley Snr) from 2004 until 2014.

On his own website, Dr Adamson described himself as “a British Unionist, an Irish Royalist and an Ulster Loyalist.”