Henry Adams became a publican about 1840 and was landlord in the premises of the first Black Horse Inn in Newcastle Street, East Maitland not far from the Wallis Creek Bridge in the early 1840's. New premises were built in the mid 1840's also in Newcastle Street, and Henry Adams moved into these.

William Eckford took out a license for the Prince Albert Inn in the original premises of the Black Horse Inn. Henry Adams continued the license for the Black Horse Inn in the new premises.

In 1847 he was censured by a jury at an inquest in to the death of Edward Pailing who was found dead in the stable of the  Inn. Pailing was a blacksmith who had been employed for ten years by Rebecca Norris and her husband. However on the day he died, Pailing was employed drawing water for Adams, as John Hoare the cook at the Black Horse Inn was ill. Pailing had been drinking at the Inn since midday and  in Henry Adam's absence Pailing had been served by Henry's eldest daughter Naomi *. Naomi later testified at the inquest that Pailing was intoxicated and had fallen from his stool in the tap room. By the time Henry Adams returned home, Edward Pailing was already laying asleep in the stable. It was decided to leave him sleep as he was noisy and quarrelsome when awoken while drunk. The jury returned a verdict of 'died from the effects of liquor', being left in a stable from six o'clock till seven the next morning unlooked after. They considered Mr. Adams deserved censure as he was the last person to see Pailing in the stable on the evening of his death.(1)

*Henry Adams' daughter Naomi married John Single of Liverpool Plains in August 1851

(1)MM 3 April 1847