Edwin Wilfred Collins was born in Camberwell, London, England on 3 October 1907 and was the son of John Collins (c.1868-?) whose occupation was given as coach painter in the 1911 England Census. is not known where or with whom E.W. Collins trained as an architect. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1934) and subsequently practised as an architect in London.
In 1935 he collaborated with fellow architect Albert Peregrine Lloyd (1893-1974) in a competition to design five storey flats in reinforced concrete sponsored by the Cement Marketing Company Ltd. They were awarded Second Prize. First Prize went to Berthold Lubetkin and Tecton.
Collins' address was given as 299 Crystal Palace Road, East Dulwich , London in 1935; 411 Sidcup Road, Mottingham, London in 1936; and 407 Sidcup Road, Mottingham, London in 1938 and 1950. He died on 24 October 1981. His address at the time of his death was 11 Kammond Avenue, Seaford, East Sussex
Working Class Domestic Flats in Reinforced Concrete. Report on competition for Designs for Five-Storey Flats. London: The Cement Marketing Company Ltd., 1935