Edward Lloyd was born at Thornton Heath, Surrey on 16th February, 1815. While still a young man, Lloyd opened a shop in Shoreditch selling books and newspapers. Gradually, Lloyd began publishing his own pamphlets such as the Pickwickian Songster and the Ethiopian Song Book.

In 1842 he started producing Lloyd's Penny Weekly Miscellany. This was a great success and later that year he brought out Lloyd's Illustrated London Newspaper, a rival to the extremely popular, Illustrated London News.

In April 1852, Lloyd appointed the talented journalist, Douglas Jerrold as editor. The following year circulation had reached 90,000. In 1857 Blanchard Jerrold replaced his father as editor of Lloyd's Weekly.

Lloyd also established a large paper manufacturing business in Sittingbourne in Kent. In 1876 Lloyd purchased the Daily Chronicle for £30,000 and turned it into London's first daily newspaper. Edward Lloyd died very wealthy on 8th April, 1890.