Said to be of Croft Cottage, Southwold, Suffolk, Edward worked for Edgar Allen & Co. at Sheffield [steel makers and engineers], as export manager. He was formerly with Ransomes & Rapier at Ipswich [producers of railway equipment, cranes, etc] until 1931, then sales development manager, Priestman Brothers at Hull [producers of industrial machinery inc. cranes, diggers] 1931-4, and John Fowler & Co. (Leeds) Ltd [producers of traction engines, railway equipment and ploughing implements] from 1934.