He left England with his wife Margaret, and her brother Henry Brown, a builder, bound for the colony of South Australia.

[1] He was Minister of Works, South Australia, and a member of the South Australian Legislative Council from 1 March 1865 to 1 August 1878 and from 29 May 1882 till his death,[1] and was Commissioner of Public Works in the John Hart Government from 23 October 1865[1] to March 1966,[4] and in the James Boucaut Ministry from the latter date till 3 May 1867.

[2] George Klewitz Soward served his papers with English, then joined him in partnership in 1880 as English & Soward at Albion Chambers, Waymouth Street, and then Barnard Chambers in Currie Street, both in Adelaide city centre.

[2] In August 1879, English called for tenders to undertake the construction work to rebuild the Crown and Anchor Hotel in Grenfell Street.

[11] Between 1878 and 1881, Edwin Smith employed English and Soward to rebuild at least two hotels, the Old Colonist in Angas Street and the Torrens Arms in Kingswood, and design alterations to four others.