John R. Adkins[1] (also called "Grampy" by his granddaughter[2]) is the maternal grandfather of Adele. He and his wife, Doreen, are the parents of five children and father of five children—Kim, Anita, Gary, John Anthony, and Penny, Adele's mother.
John was a lorry driver for many years, but by his youngest daughter, Penny, reached high school, he and Doreen began work on a fruit and vegetable stall at the New Covent Garden Market.[3]
He and Doreen are mentioned at the end of the booklet for Adele's debut album, 19, where she refers to them as "the original romantics."[4] Doreen and John have lived in a small home in Tottenham, North London, for over 30 years. They have fourteen grandchildren.[2] Adele revealed in an interview with i-D that her grandparents were two of the people that inspired "Remedy," the first song written for her third studio album, 25.[5]