He later worked on the general staff of The Mercury, was chief Hansard reporter for two sessions of the Federal Council of Australasia and was editor of the Mercury-owned Tasmanian Mail weekly magazine in 1888–89.

He also purchased 60 acres of land adjoining Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park for a house and fruitgrowing operation.

[7][8][1][9] In 1901, he contested the first federal election as the Free Trade candidate for South Sydney, and won, defeating state Labor leader James McGowen.

[1] Edwards was an early supporter of decimalisation and metrification, and moved several motions calling on Australia to adopt the metric system and a decimal currency.

[14][15] Peacock & Co (Edwards' Sydney operation) amalgamated with two other major jam manufacturers to form Henry Jones' Co-operative, Ltd. (later Henry Jones IXL) in early 1910, and later that year he returned to the House of Representatives as the Liberal member for North Sydney.