He operated a successful book shop (started by his father), and later was a major investor or director in many important Australian mining companies, notably Broken Hill Proprietary. He was born in Warwickshire, son of Edgar Smith Wigg (7 June 1818 – 15 October 1899) of Tunstall, Suffolk. He joined his father’s business in 1867, when it became known as "E. S. Wigg & Son".
Edward and his younger brothers Alfred and Henry studied at J. L. Young"s Adelaide Educational Institution.
Edgar Wigg emigrated to Australia in May 1849, and founded a successful stationery and book shop at 12 Rundle Street, in Adelaide, South Australia. East. East. Neale Wigg entered the mining business as a major investor in the Wirrialpa mine in 1887. He was elected chairman of directors of the Hale River Ruby Mine in 1888.
He was a director of Broken Hill Proprietary from 1890 to 1906, and chairman of directors 1897-1899.
As BHP chairman, he was responsible for hiring Guillaume Delprat, BHP"s General Manager for over twenty years. He was also a director of the Lady Evelyn gold mine at Coolgardie, the Ivanhoe mine at Kalgoorlie, the Bon Accord Cape York Peninsula Syndicate, and Mount Lyell Mining Company
Their son Frank Morewood Wigg was born July 1872. He studied at Prince Alfred College and graduated Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Edinburgh in 1900, but died of pneumonia in Edinburgh a year later.
Apart from a few visits, they never returned to Australia, and around 1910 East. Neale Wigg changed his name to Edward Neale.
He was a strong Anglican churchman and was elected synodsman for Street Matthews Church at Kensington, South Australia every year from 1884 to 1887. He left the bulk of his wealth to the University of Adelaide for medical research.
