Charles Inman (banker)
Charles Inman | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1791 Lancaster, England |
| Died | 1858-11-11 Spital Hall, Bebington, Wirral Peninsula, England |
| Occupation(s) | Merchant, entrepreneur, banker |
| Known for | Director of the Bank of Liverpool |
Charles Inman (1791–1858) was a prominent English merchant, entrepreneur, and banker who held a directorship at the Bank of Liverpool.
Early life
Born to Robert Inman, a merchant based in Lancaster, and Anne Salisbury from Kirkham, Charles descended from his grandfather, the slave trader Charles Inman (1725–1767). He began his career apprenticed to a cousin engaged in Liverpool’s cotton brokerage industry. During the 1820s, he jointly managed the cotton enterprise Swainson & Inman. This business partnership with Anthony Swainson ended in 1831. The Swainson family maintained close familial relations with both the Inmans and the Swainsons of Preston.
Career
In 1818, Inman relocated to Leicester to join two others in recapitalizing the Pickfords transportation company. His partners were Joseph Baxendale and Matthew Pickford, with operational management distributed among Leicester, Manchester, and London offices. By 1847, Baxendale had acquired sole ownership. Citing Sabbatarian principles, Inman withdrew from Pickfords in 1838 and returned to Liverpool.
That same year, he became a director of the Bank of Liverpool, serving continuously from 1840 until his passing in 1858. His tenure overlapped with distinguished figures such as Adam Hodgson.
Later life and death
Inman later moved from his residence on Netherfield Road in Everton to Spital Hall located in Bebington on the Wirral Peninsula. He passed away there on 11 November 1858. The funeral service was led by Rev. Edward Hatch Hoare of Barkby, associated with the Church Missionary Society. Interment took place in Bebington churchyard. The Netherfield Road property was subsequently converted into the Institution for Infectious Diseases—a hospital partially financed by Liverpool Town Council to meet the requirements of the 1866 Contagious Diseases Act.
Family and legacy
Inman married Jane Clay in 1817; she was the daughter of Thomas Clay from Liverpool. Jane’s sister Mary was married to Anthony Swainson. Together, Charles and Jane had eight children, among whom were distinguished sons Thomas Inman and William Inman.
- Robert Inman, their eldest son, died at age 52 in 1871.
- Their third son, Charles Inman, wed Decima Davies in 1853; she was the daughter of Thomas Lancaster Davies MD from Jamaica.
- Their daughter Elizabeth was united in marriage with Charles Swainson in 1852.
Jane Inman died at Spital Hall in 1865 at age 72.
St Peter's Church on Sackville Street in Everton was constructed on land donated by Inman and completed in 1849. He also laid its foundation stone and contributed substantially to its building expenses. The church hosted Elizabeth’s wedding in 1852 but was destroyed during bombing raids in 1942.