Edward CRITCHLEY was born at the village of Inchbrook in the Parish of Avening, Gloucestershire, Stroud in 1851.

He was apprenticed to the trade of engine fitter at Thomas Deans, Jacob Street at Bristol, emigrated on the ship "Boyne" to Port Lyttleton, New Zealand in 1878. He worked about New Zealand for a few years, then sailed to Sydney. He worked at Morts Dock and at Newcastle.

Edward married Emma Jane Lyons at Rookwood in 1884. The marriage was the first one celebrated in the Congregational Church at Rookwood.

He went to Bathurst, NSW immediately after his marriage as an Engineer with the NSW Government Railways. His family of 3 sons and 2 daughters were all born in Bathurst. After about 25 years in residence in Bathurst he was transferred to Everleigh Workshops in Sydney where he worked until his retirement on 3 January 1921 at the age of 69 years.