Adley was born Jewish but converted to Anglicanism, and was married with two children. Robert James Adamson was born on 2 March 1935, the son of Harry Adley, a company director In 1961, he married Jane Elizabeth Pople, daughter of Wilfred Pople of Somerset.
He was educated at Falconbury and Uppingham School, before becoming the Director of Sales at May fair Hotel (1960-1964).
In the 1970s Adley was part-time Marketing Director for Holiday Inn (United Kingdom). He would brief his agency (Alexander James & Dexter) in the morning, before going to the House of Commons. Later, he was the Marketing Director at Holiday Inns of Canada.
He would safely hold this seat from 1974 to 1983, and then after further boundary changes the Christchurch seat from 1983 until his death with one of the largest Conservative majorities in the country.
Adley was well known as a railway enthusiast, after gaining a love of trains when he was given The Wonder Book of Trains at the age of three. Adley became leader of the Conservative backbench committee on transport and then the Chairman of the Commons Transport Select Committee.
Adley had previously opposed the poll tax and bus deregulation, while supporting Concorde and an integrated transport system. Adley died in the Royal Brompton Hospital following a heart attack in 1993 at the age of 58.
Adley also called for talks with the African National Congress and for the United Kingdom government to support the aspirations of the black majority in apartheid-era South Africa.
45th United Kingdom Parliament. 46th United Kingdom Parliament. 47th United Kingdom Parliament.
48th United Kingdom Parliament.
49th United Kingdom Parliament. 50th United Kingdom Parliament.
51st United Kingdom Parliament]
He became member of Parliament for Bristol North East after winning the seat by 462 votes in the 1970 election. Bristol North East was abolished before the next election in 1974 and Adley went on to become member of parliament for Christchurch and Lymington.
Who"s Who of British Members of Parliament, volume iv (covering 1945–1979).
