[1] Williams was born in Worcester on 28 April 1828, the son of a civil engineer also named Edward (responsible for works to make the River Severn navigable; also a keen amateur artist and friend of John Constable) and his Quaker wife Sarah Whiting.

In 1856 he was chosen out of 110 applicants to be chief engineer for the development of the navigable northern section of the River Weaver in Cheshire.

After submitting proposals in competition with another engineer (Hamilton Fulton), Williams was then appointed by Daniel Adamson in 1882 to design a new ship canal linking Manchester with the Irish Sea.

After the official opening of the Manchester Ship Canal on 21 May 1894, Edward Leader Williams of the Oaks, in the Parish of Dunham Massey, in the County Palatine of Chester was knighted by Queen Victoria on 2 July by Letters Patent.

[4] Williams' other works include the Anderton Boat Lift (1875) near Northwich in Cheshire, which links the navigable stretch of the River Weaver with the Trent and Mersey Canal.