Edward Richardson CMG (7 November 1831 – 26 February 1915) was a New Zealand civil and mechanical engineer, and Member of Parliament.

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.

He then trained as a mechanical engineer while working for the Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) in Ireland.

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.

[3][6] 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.

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.

[18] 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.

[19] 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.

The resulting 12 July 1882 by-election was contested by Walter Pilliet, Richardson and William Patten Cowlishaw (a partner of Francis James Garrick).

[5] Richardson bought the land around the Opawa railway station plus an adjacent 13 acres in 1871 and built his residence, The Hollies.

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.