TPB only gives basic information of Edwin's life, -- birth, emigration to Tasmania, marriage and death. It is now possible to give a detailed account.
In 1798 his parents moved from Oxfordshire to a farm near Bunny in Nottinghamshire which was leased from his father's brother-in-law Sir Thomas Parkyns. Edwin was then the eldest surviving son, four brothers having died in infancy. There the family lived until about 1818. Edwin then took up a lease of Plas Newydd Farm, Anglesey, from the Marquis of Anglesey. This venture, however, failed and hearing of good prospects for farming in Tasmania he decided to emigrate. His father had died at Plas Newydd in 1821 and his mother was looked after by the two next brothers, first by Joseph Bage, and then by Thomas. Of his four brothers only John, the youngest, had not settled down and he agreed to Edwin's suggestion that they should emigrate together.
    On 9th March, 1823, they sailed from the Downs in the Brig Woodlark, Edwin as a cabin passenger, but John even with help from Edwin, could only afford steerage accommodation. They arrived at Hobart, Tasmania, on 8th July.
    Edwin had come armed with a letter of recommendation for a grant of land from the Colonial Secretary, Lord Bathurst, and a testimonial signed by prominent Nottinghamshire men. These he submitted to the Lieutenant Governor with a statement of the money and goods he brought with him. Although the total value was less than the minimum of £500, a large sum for those days, normally required from settlers for a land grant, Edwin's application was successful and he was allocated 500 acres at St. Paul's River, a remote area in the northeast quarter of the island, much troubled by stealing of livestock by bush rangers, and wandering dispossessed aboriginals.
    However, Edwin did not immediately take up the St. Paul's River land and he farmed first at Clarence Plains, a more settled and fertile area near Hobart which he probably only leased. By 1824 he had been appointed Chief Constable for the district and also Poundkeeper. The duties of these appointments included keeping a weekly muster of all convict servants and coping with crop-destroying wild cattle. [Pounds were enclosures for rounding up stray cattle.]
    On 4th January, 1825, Edwin married Mary Allen at St. David's Church, Hobart. She had been a fellow passenger on the Woodlark, emigrating with the Parramore family, Mrs. Parramore being her aunt. Prior to her marriage, Mary lived with them at Ross Bridge, where Mr. Parramore had taken up land. Shortly after their arrival at Hobart, Mary wrote a long letter dated 29th July, 1823, to friends at home. This describes the voyage and also gives a most interesting picture of early settler life. (See Appendix 4.)
    In 1829, Edwin and Mary with their first two children, Mary and Joseph Francis then very young, finally moved from Clarence Plains to St. Paul's River to take up his reserved land. They lived first in a house built of rammed earth with timber out-buildings. This house was followed by a stone one built with convict labour. It was named Rock House after one which Edwin's father had lived in near Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. It is evident that the protection of a stone house as soon as possible was necessary as the following anecdote preserved by the Reverend Henry Travis Boultbee (1856 - 1940), third son of JB by his first wife, illustrates:-

    Of Rock House itself nothing now remains but the two end walls of neatly cut stone with chimney projections. However, these were reused in the modern construction of accommodation for sheep-shearers. The house must have been initially of quite modest size, perhaps in the interests of building it as quickly as possible. We can surmise that it would have consisted of a kitchen, living-room and three bedrooms. It would also have needed at least a washhouse and wood store. These may have been attached at the rear, or separate. The servants would probably have had separate detached quarters. The modern farm house is slightly to the east.
    Five more children were born at Rock House -- Edwin, Sarah, George Parkyns, Ellen, and Martha who died in infancy. (For the surviving children and their descendants see Additional Chapter XII).
    By 1856 Edwin's land holding had increased to 1300 acres. He had added to the original reserve of 500 acres two further adjoining lots, 100 acres and 700 acres. The St. Paul's River forms the northern boundary, the land is flat and bounded on the south and east by low hills. The present farm is still a sheep station as it was in Edwin's time, and is even now remote.
    Edwin died in 1868 and was buried in the middle of a field near the house under a tree approximately equidistant between the river and the southern hills. His grave is marked only by a headstone. This has an elegant curving moulding at the top beneath which is a scroll of formal foliage. The inscription in well-carved lettering reads:--

    Mary died in 1876 in her 81st year, at Rock House.