The first mention of estates in Ireland was on 12 June 1884 when he was in dispute with his tenants over peat rights.
[3] In 1865 E. T. Wakefield bought Chapman's Lot, Askam near Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, from Thomas Sharpe.
The intention was to build an ironworks for the Furness Iron and Steel Co, in which he was a partner, and also a housing estate on his own account.
[4] On 7 October 1863, Wakefield married Florence Wharton at the British embassy in Munich.
[5] In 1846 Wakefield presented a petition on behalf of the Aborigines' Protection Society[6] and in 1856 became a trustee of the National Savings Bank.