John Inman was born in 1877 to James Inman and Eliza (nee Collins). The 1881 Census shows that the family were living at St Matthew’s Terrace which seems to have been between Town Street and Church Lane. James was a gardener and greengrocer.
In the 1891 Census we find that the family had moved to 1 Regent Terrace. John is only 13 years old but is shown to be working as a “Telegraphist”!
John joined the armed forces and fought in South Africa serving as a Bombardier Wheeler in the 5th Battery Royal Field Artillery, his regimental number was 2600. He died at Ventersburg, Free State, South Africa on 3 August 1900 and is remembered on the gravestone of his grandparents, William and Sarah in St Matthew’s graveyard and also on the Royal Artillery Memorial in London on the south side of The Mall.
IN MEMORY OF
WILLIAM INMAN
CHAPEL-ALLERTON
DIED MARCH 5TH 1887
AGED 56 YEARS
BEHOLD
WE ALL DO FADE AS A LEAF
ALSO
SARAH, THE BELOVED WIFE
OF THE ABOVE WHO DEPARTED
THIS LIFE DECEMBER 25TH 1896
AGED 57 YEARS
UNTIL THE DAY DAWN
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
BOMBARDIER JOHN INMAN
5TH BATTERY ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY
WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION
AT VENTERSBURGH, SOUTH AFRICA
ON THE 3RD OF AUGUST 1900
AGED 23 YEARS
HE WENT OUT IN HIS BRAVE YOUNG MANHOOD
TO FIGHT FOR HIS COUNTRY’S CAUSE
BUT HE RESTS TO-DAY SO FAR AWAY
ALONE IN AN UNKOWN GRAVE
NOT GOOD BYE BUT GOOD NIGHT
WE SHALL MEET AGAIN IN THE MORNING LIGHT
Royal Field Artillery – 5th Battery
Arrived at the Cape on 23rd February 1900. In April was stationed about Kaffir River Bridge, south of Bloemfontein. In May joined Colvile and Macdonald on the march to Heilbron, doing excellent work, which is much praised in General Colvile’s ‘Work of the IXth Division’. In July the Highland Brigade and the 5th Battery joined General Hunter for the operations to encircle Prinsloo, and the services of the battery at Spitz Kop and Retief’s Nek were very valuable. Remained with the Highland Brigade practically the whole of 1900.
from AngloBoerWar.com