Edward Richardson

The Honourable Edward Richardson CMG
Edward Richardson, ca 1894
Minister of Public Works
In office October 1872 – January 1877
Preceded by	new ministry
Succeeded by	John Davies Ormond
In office September 1884 – October 1887
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Christchurch West
In office 1871 – 1875
Majority	20
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for City of Christchurch
In office 1876 – September 1879
Succeeded by	George Grey
In office November 1879 – 1881
Preceded by	George Grey
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Kaiapoi
In office 1884 – 1890
Member of the New Zealand Legislative Council
In office 1892–1899
Personal details
Born	1830 or 1831 London
Died	26 February 1915 (aged 83–84)
Spouse(s)	Margaret (née Higgins) Frances Mary Elizabeth (née Corke)
Children	Edward, George, Charles E., (Mr.) E. F., Sydney, (Mrs.) Eardly Reynolds, Mary Elizabeth (Molly) Tripe
Occupation	civil & mechanical engineer, businessman, politician, runholder

Edward Richardson CMG (1830 or 1831 – 26 February 1915) was a civil and mechanical engineer, and Member of Parliament in New Zealand. Born in England, he emigrated to Australia and continued there as a railway engineer. Having become a partner in a contracting firm, a large project caused him to move to Christchurch in New Zealand, in which country he lived for the rest of his life.

Richardson was born in London in either 1830 or 1831. His parents were Elizabeth Sarah Miller and her husband Richard Richardson (a merchant). He attended the City of London School.

In 1852, Richardson went to Melbourne in Australia. There, he married Margaret Higgins on 13 May 1856. They had two children before Margaret died in Melbourne in 1861. In his time in Australia, Richardson was also active in the volunteer brigade and became a captain in the horse artillery.

In 1861, Richardson emigrated to New Zealand to carry out the contract of building the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel. He married Frances Mary Elizabeth Corke at Holy Trinity Avonside on 27 April 1864.

Richardson trained as a civil engineer and worked for the London and South Western Railway (L&SWR). He then trained as a mechanical engineer while working for the Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) in Ireland.

In Melbourne, he first worked for the Victorian Government in roading and bridge design, and then set up a partnership with George Holmes to perform general contracting work.

The Canterbury Provincial Government had commissioned the construction of the Christchurch to Lyttelton railway and tunnel, but their first contractor (Smith & Knight) sought a significant additional payment over what had been agreed on, which the provincial government did not accept. William Moorhouse, the Superintendent (i.e. the elected head of the provincial council) at the time and proponent of the project, travelled to Melbourne to find a new contractor. Whilst the price submitted by Holmes and Richardson was the highest of three tenders, Moorhouse engaged them as he had confidence in their technical ability.