Cheshire Memories: William Inman

By Sarah Griffiths on May 11, 09 10:16 AM in 1800-1899

William Inman was born in 1825 in Leicester, but it was while as a Wirral resident that he made his fortune from transatlantic steam ships.

Inman was present at the launch of the first iron ship service to the United States in 1850, saw the business potential of this venture and decided to purchase the vessel. He adapted the ship in the same year and set up his own company, the Liverpool, New York and Philadelphia Steamship Company, with two other partners. However, these two Quaker businessmen would not condone the use of their ships for military transport and so the partnership was dissolved two years later. As a result, the company became known as the Inman Line and many of its transatlantic journeys were used for emigrants travelling to the New World.

William Inman died in 1881 at his Upton Manor home. The company continued to trade after his death until 1893, when the lucrative mail contract was awarded to the American Line. Inman had used his fortune to help build St Mary's Church in Upton and Christ Church in Moreton, and so it was fitting that he is buried in the churchyard at Christ Church and has a memorial in St Mary's.

The picture shows a model of the Inman Line's SS City of Paris, which was built in 1866.

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