   william adamson (2 april 1863 &ndash; 23 february 1936) was a scottish trade unionist and labour politician. he was leader of the labour party between 1917 and 1921 and served as secretary of state for scotland in 1924 and between 1929 and 1931 in the first two labour administrations headed by ramsay macdonald. ==background== adamson was born in dunfermline, fife, and was educated at a local dame school. he worked as a miner in fife where he became involved with the national union of mineworkers. between 1902 and 1908 he was assistant secretary of the fife and kinross and miners' association,spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk william adamson and he thereafter served as its general secretary."adamson, william [willie]", oxford dictionary of national biography ==political career== active with the new labour party, adamson was first elected to parliament for west fife in the december 1910 general electionleighrayment.com house of commons: fairfield to fylde south and became leader of the party in 1917, a position he held until 1921. in 1918 he was sworn of the privy council. he served as secretary for scotland and secretary of state for scotland in 1924 and between 1929 and 1931 in the labour governments of ramsay macdonald. however, he split with macdonald after the formation of the national government. adamson lost his seat in the [[united kingdo
1863_births 1936_deaths British_Secretaries_of_State Labour_Party_(UK)_MPs Leaders_of_the_Labour_Party_(UK) Members_of_the_Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom_for_Fife_constituencies Members_of_the_Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom_for_Scottish_constituencies Members_of_the_Privy_Council_of_the_United_Kingdom People_from_Dunfermline Scottish_Baptists UK_MPs_1910a18 UK_MPs_1918a22 UK_MPs_1922a23 UK_MPs_1923a24 UK_MPs_1924a29 UK_MPs_1929a31