Edward Richardson
Encyclopedia
The Hon Edward Richardson, CMG, MLC (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
.
Australia
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.
New Zealand
In 1861, Richardson emigrated to New Zealand to carry out the contract of building the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel
. He married Frances Mary Elizabeth Corke in Christchurch 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.
Australia
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.
New Zealand
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.
Richardson arrived in Lyttelton on the Prince Alfred in 1861 with 35 navvies
and sufficient materials and equipment to begin the first stage of the railway between Christchurch and Ferrymead. During 1862, Richardson spent time in the European Alps
to study the latest tunnel construction techniques and equipment on the Fréjus Rail Tunnel
project. This experience was put to good use during the tunnel construction, which was carried out through volcanic rock.
The tunnel project, completed in 1867, was one of the greatest engineering achievements in early New Zealand. It was the colony's first rail tunnel and the first tunnel in the world to be driven through the side of an extinct volcano.
in May 1870 for the Town of Lyttelton electorate. He was re-elected in March 1874 for the 7th (and last) Council and held this role until the abolition of provincial government in October 1876.
stood in the Christchurch West
electorate in the 1871 election, obtaining 234 and 214 votes, respectively. Richardson was thus declared elected.
In the 1875 election, he contested the City of Christchurch
electorate. He came second in this three-member electorate (Edward Stevens
came first, and William Moorhouse, the person who caused him to come to New Zealand, came third) and was thus returned.
He came fourth in the September 1879 election
for the three-member Christchurch electorate (George Grey
came first, and Samuel Paull Andrews
and Edward Stevens came second with equal numbers of votes, and only 23 votes ahead of Richardson). He petitioned against George Grey's return on technical grounds, as Grey had already been elected in the Thames electorate
. The electoral commission unseated Grey on 24 October, with Richardson offered to fill this vacancy a few days later. Grey was allowed to keep the Thames seat and remained a member of parliament through that constituency.
The City of Christchurch electorate was abolished at the end of the 7th session of parliament
, and Richardson stood in Lyttelton
in the 1881 election
. He was narrowly defeated by Harry Allwright
, who had a majority of 11 on Richardson. Ironically, Allwright had been the chair of the 1879 electoral commission, and it had been his casting vote that unseated Grey and thus allowed Richardson back into the lower house.
Following a petition, the 1881 general election
in the Stanmore electorate
was declared invalid. The resulting 12 July 1882 by-election was contested by Walter Pilliet
, Richardson and William Patten Cowlishaw (a partner of Francis James Garrick
). They received 469, 345 and 244 votes, respectively. Pilliet was declared elected with a majority of 124 votes.
Richardson then stood in the 16 May 1884 by-election in the Kaiapoi electorate
. He was returned unopposed and re-entered parliament.
Soon after, he contested the Kaiapoi seat in the 1884 general election
and was confirmed by the voters. He was re-elected in the 1887
general election and represented Kaiapoi until the 1890 election
, when he retired from the lower house.
As a public works expert, he was again appointed a Minister for Public Works under the Stout Vogel Government, and held the portfolio from September 1884 to October 1887. He was ranked third in cabinet below Robert Stout and Vogel. The family moved to Wellington in 1884 for this ministerial appointment.
railway station plus an adjacent 13 acres in 1871 and built his residence, The Hollies. It is believed that he designed the house himself, and it is broadly Australian in appearance. Stone from the tunnel project was used in the construction. Richardson was affected by the recession in the late 1880 and in 1889, the Bank of New Zealand
repossessed the house and land, and onsold it to sheep farmer John Robert Campbell. The building is registered with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
as a Category II heritage structure, and was registered on 24 June 2005 as Category II with registration number 3112.
Richardson was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
(CMG) in 1879. His second wife (Frances) died on 1 October 1913. Richardson died in Wellington on 26 February 1915, and was survived by a son from his marriage with Margaret, and four sons and two daughters from his marriage with Frances. He was interred in the Wellington suburb of Karori
.
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
and mechanical engineer
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
, 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
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
in New Zealand, in which country he lived for the rest of his life.
Early life
EnglandRichardson 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
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
.
Australia
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.
New Zealand
In 1861, Richardson emigrated to New Zealand to carry out the contract of building the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel
Lyttelton rail tunnel
The Lyttelton Rail Tunnel, initially called the Moorhouse Tunnel, links the city of Christchurch with the port of Lyttelton in the Canterbury region of New Zealand’s South Island. It is the country’s oldest operational rail tunnel, and is on one of the first railway lines in the district...
. He married Frances Mary Elizabeth Corke in Christchurch on 27 April 1864.
Professional career
EnglandRichardson trained as a civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
and worked for the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
(L&SWR). He then trained as a mechanical engineer
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
while working for the Great Southern and Western Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway
The Great Southern and Western Railway was the largest Irish gauge railway company in Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
(GS&WR) in Ireland.
Australia
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.
New Zealand
The Canterbury Provincial Government had commissioned the construction of the Christchurch to Lyttelton railway and tunnel
Lyttelton rail tunnel
The Lyttelton Rail Tunnel, initially called the Moorhouse Tunnel, links the city of Christchurch with the port of Lyttelton in the Canterbury region of New Zealand’s South Island. It is the country’s oldest operational rail tunnel, and is on one of the first railway lines in the district...
, 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
William Sefton Moorhouse
William Sefton Moorhouse was a New Zealand politician. He was the second Superintendent of Canterbury Province.-Early life:...
, the Superintendent
Superintendent (politics)
Superintendent was the elected head of each Provincial Council in New Zealand from 1853 to 1876.-Historical context:Provinces existed in New Zealand from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. After the initial provinces pre-1853, new provinces were formed by the New Zealand...
(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.
Richardson arrived in Lyttelton on the Prince Alfred in 1861 with 35 navvies
Navvy
Navvy is a shorter form of navigator or navigational engineer and is particularly applied to describe the manual labourers working on major civil engineering projects...
and sufficient materials and equipment to begin the first stage of the railway between Christchurch and Ferrymead. During 1862, Richardson spent time in the European Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
to study the latest tunnel construction techniques and equipment on the Fréjus Rail Tunnel
Fréjus Rail Tunnel
The Fréjus Rail Tunnel is a rail tunnel of length in the European Alps, carrying the Turin–Modane railway through Mount Cenis to an end on connection with the Culoz–Modane railway and linking Modane, France and Bardonecchia, Italy...
project. This experience was put to good use during the tunnel construction, which was carried out through volcanic rock.
The tunnel project, completed in 1867, was one of the greatest engineering achievements in early New Zealand. It was the colony's first rail tunnel and the first tunnel in the world to be driven through the side of an extinct volcano.
Provincial Council
Richardson was elected onto the 6th Canterbury Provincial CouncilCanterbury Province
The Canterbury Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. On the east coast the province was bounded by the Hurunui River in the north and the Waitaki River in the south...
in May 1870 for the Town of Lyttelton electorate. He was re-elected in March 1874 for the 7th (and last) Council and held this role until the abolition of provincial government in October 1876.
Member of the lower house
Richardson and William Wynn-WilliamsWilliam Wynn-Williams
William Henry Wynn-Williams was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Canterbury, New Zealand. He was a prominent lawyer in Christchurch.-Early life:...
stood in the Christchurch West
Christchurch West
Christchurch West was a parliamentary electorate in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand from 1871 for the 5th Parliament, and it existed until 1875.-History:...
electorate in the 1871 election, obtaining 234 and 214 votes, respectively. Richardson was thus declared elected.
In the 1875 election, he contested the City of Christchurch
Christchurch (New Zealand electorate)
Christchurch was a parliamentary electorate in Christchurch, New Zealand. It existed three times. Originally it was the Town of Christchurch from 1853 to 1860. From the 1860–61 election to the 1871 election, it existed as City of Christchurch. It then existed from the 1875–76 election until the...
electorate. He came second in this three-member electorate (Edward Stevens
Edward Cephas John Stevens
Edward Cephas John Stevens MLC was a New Zealand politician in provincial government in Canterbury, and a member of both the lower and upper houses of parliament. A businessman, he controlled the Christchurch Press for many decades...
came first, and William Moorhouse, the person who caused him to come to New Zealand, came third) and was thus returned.
He came fourth in the September 1879 election
New Zealand general election, 1879
The New Zealand general election of 1879 was held between 28 August and 15 September to elect a total of 88 MPs to the 7th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 1 and 8 September. A total number of 82,271 voters turned out to vote.The election came about when George...
for the three-member Christchurch electorate (George Grey
George Grey
George Grey may refer to:*Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet , British politician*George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent *Sir George Grey , Governor of Cape Colony, South Australia and New Zealand...
came first, and Samuel Paull Andrews
Samuel Paull Andrews
Samuel Paull Andrews was a 19th century politician in Christchurch, New Zealand. Originally from the Isle of Wight, he was the first working class man to become a Member of Parliament in his chosen country.-Early life:...
and Edward Stevens came second with equal numbers of votes, and only 23 votes ahead of Richardson). He petitioned against George Grey's return on technical grounds, as Grey had already been elected in the Thames electorate
Thames (New Zealand electorate)
Thames is a former New Zealand electorate, in the Thames-Coromandel District. It existed from 1871 to 1946.-Geographic coverage:The electorate is based on the town of Thames. At times, it covered the Coromandel Peninsula.-History:...
. The electoral commission unseated Grey on 24 October, with Richardson offered to fill this vacancy a few days later. Grey was allowed to keep the Thames seat and remained a member of parliament through that constituency.
The City of Christchurch electorate was abolished at the end of the 7th session of parliament
7th New Zealand Parliament
The 7th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand.Elections for this term were held in 69 European electorates between 28 August and 15 September 1879. Elections in the four Māori electorates were held on 1 and 8 September of that year. A total of 88 MPs were elected....
, and Richardson stood in Lyttelton
Lyttelton (New Zealand electorate)
Lyttelton is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It existed from 1853–90, and again from 1893–1996, when it was replaced by the Banks Peninsula electorate.-Population Centres:...
in the 1881 election
New Zealand general election, 1881
The New Zealand general election of 1881 was held 9 December to elect a total of 95 MPs to the 8th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 8 December...
. He was narrowly defeated by Harry Allwright
Harry Allwright
Harry Allwright was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Canterbury, New Zealand.Allwright arrived in Lyttelton on the Cressy on 27 December 1850. He was thus one of the Canterbury Pilgrims....
, who had a majority of 11 on Richardson. Ironically, Allwright had been the chair of the 1879 electoral commission, and it had been his casting vote that unseated Grey and thus allowed Richardson back into the lower house.
Following a petition, the 1881 general election
New Zealand general election, 1881
The New Zealand general election of 1881 was held 9 December to elect a total of 95 MPs to the 8th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 8 December...
in the Stanmore electorate
Stanmore (New Zealand electorate)
Stanmore was a parliamentary electorate in Christchurch, New Zealand from 1881 to 1887. The electorate was represented by two Members of Parliament.-Population centres:...
was declared invalid. The resulting 12 July 1882 by-election was contested by Walter Pilliet
Walter Pilliet
Walter Hippolyte Pilliet JP was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Christchurch, New Zealand. He worked initially as a surveyor and was then Resident Magistrate in several places. He was a newspaper editor and was represented in Parliament for one term.-Early life:He was born in Lyon on 8...
, Richardson and William Patten Cowlishaw (a partner of Francis James Garrick
Francis James Garrick
Francis James Garrick , was a barrister and politician from Christchurch, New Zealand.-Early years:Garrick was the oldest of ten children of James Francis Garrick and Catherine Eliza Garrick...
). They received 469, 345 and 244 votes, respectively. Pilliet was declared elected with a majority of 124 votes.
Richardson then stood in the 16 May 1884 by-election in the Kaiapoi electorate
Kaiapoi (New Zealand electorate)
Kaiapoi was a rural New Zealand electorate, north of Christchurch in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand from 1861 to 1946. It was represented by twelve members of Parliament.-History:The electorate dates from 1861....
. He was returned unopposed and re-entered parliament.
Soon after, he contested the Kaiapoi seat in the 1884 general election
New Zealand general election, 1884
The New Zealand general election of 1884 was held on 22 July to elect a total of 95 MPs to the 9th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 21 July. A total number of 137,686 voters turned out to vote.-References:...
and was confirmed by the voters. He was re-elected in the 1887
New Zealand general election, 1887
The New Zealand general election of 1887 was held on 26 September to elect 95 MPs to the tenth session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 7 September. 175,410 votes were cast....
general election and represented Kaiapoi until the 1890 election
New Zealand general election, 1890
The New Zealand general election of 1890 was one of New Zealand's most significant. It marked the beginning of party politics in New Zealand with the formation of the First Liberal government, which was to enact major welfare, labour and electoral reforms, including giving the vote to women.It was...
, when he retired from the lower house.
Minister for Public Works
In October 1872, Richardson became a member of the Waterhouse Ministry, and held the portfolio of Public Works. He retained that position in the successive Fox, Vogel, Pollen and Atkinson ministries. Poor health brought on by overwork caused him to resign his ministerial role in January 1877.As a public works expert, he was again appointed a Minister for Public Works under the Stout Vogel Government, and held the portfolio from September 1884 to October 1887. He was ranked third in cabinet below Robert Stout and Vogel. The family moved to Wellington in 1884 for this ministerial appointment.
Member of the upper house
Richardson was appointed to the Legislative Council in 1892 and remained a member until 1899.Later life
Richardson bought the land around the OpawaOpawa
Opawa is an inner suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, located 2.5 kilometres south-east of the city centre.The name is a contraction of Opaawaho, which means a place of an outer pā or outpost in Māori. Opaawaho or Ōpāwaho is the Māori name for the Heathcote River....
railway station plus an adjacent 13 acres in 1871 and built his residence, The Hollies. It is believed that he designed the house himself, and it is broadly Australian in appearance. Stone from the tunnel project was used in the construction. Richardson was affected by the recession in the late 1880 and in 1889, the Bank of New Zealand
Bank of New Zealand
Bank of New Zealand is one of New Zealand’s largest banks and has been operating continuously in the country since the first office was opened in Auckland in October 1861 followed shortly after by the first branch in Dunedin in December 1861...
repossessed the house and land, and onsold it to sheep farmer John Robert Campbell. The building is registered with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
as a Category II heritage structure, and was registered on 24 June 2005 as Category II with registration number 3112.
Richardson was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(CMG) in 1879. His second wife (Frances) died on 1 October 1913. Richardson died in Wellington on 26 February 1915, and was survived by a son from his marriage with Margaret, and four sons and two daughters from his marriage with Frances. He was interred in the Wellington suburb of Karori
Karori
Karori is a suburb located at the western edge of the urban area of Wellington, New Zealand, some 4 km from the city centre.Karori is significantly larger than most other Wellington suburbs, having a population of over 14,000 at the time of the 2006 census.-History:Before the arrival of...
.