John Edward Inman

Biography

John Edward Inman was born in Natland. He was the third child of William Jackson and Isabella Margaret and the older brother of James Francis. At the time of John’s birth in 1888 William was 41 and Isabella 22 and they already had two other sons. William was a stoker at the gunpowder factory and at the time the family lived in the four roomed Powder Works Cottage, Natland.

Nothing is known of John’s life except that on the 26th April 1913 he appeared on the passenger list for the Cunard ship Caronia which left Liverpool for New York. The manifest showed that 24 year old John Edward Inman was a blacksmith by trade. Where he lived in North America is not currently known.

How They Died

On the 7th May 1915 the S.S. Lusitania inbound from New York was torpedoed near the Irish coast. The Lusitania sank within fifteen minutes with very severe loss of life including that of third class passenger Mr. John Edward Inman who was then aged 26. It is not likely to ever be known but it is possible he was returning to the country of his birth to enlist in the army.

Where They Rest

Many unidentified bodies were interred in a churchyard at Cobh, Ireland but along with his brother, John’s name is recorded on the Natland War Memorial.