RICHARDSON, EDWARD (1831-1915) was born in London. After receiving his education at the City of London school, he was trained as a civil engineer on the London and South-Western Railway Co., and as a mechanical engineer on the Great Southern and Western Railway of Ireland. Coming to Melbourne in 1852, he was employed by the government as road engineer until 1855, when he commenced business in partnership with George Holmes as a contractor. He was a member of the first volunteer corps in Melbourne and rose to be captain in the horse artillery. In 1861 he came to New Zealand under contract to construct the Christchurch-Lyttelton railway, which included the Moorhouse tunnel. The following year he was elected a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. Entering public life in 1870, he was member for Lyttelton in the Canterbury Provincial Council till the abolition. He also sat in the House of Representatives for Christchurch City West (1871-75) and for Christchurch City (1875-81). From 1872 he held office as Minister of Public Works during the administrations of Waterhouse, Fox, Vogel, Pollen and Atkinson, until ill-health from overwork compelled him to resign (4 Jan 1877) (C.M.G. 1897). Again elected to Parliament as member for Kaiapoi in 1884, he held office as Minister of Public Works in the Stout-Vogel Governments (1884 and 1884-87). He retained his seat until 1890. He was a member of the Legislative Council (1892-99). Richardson afterwards became manager of the Patent Slip Co. at Wellington. He died in 1915.

N.Z.P.D., 25 Jun 1915; Cycl. N.Z., i, iii; Who's Who N.Z., 1908; New Zealand Times, 17 Oct 1892.

Reference: Volume 2, page 119

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