Richard Chillingworth Godfrey
Mayor of Oxford 1847/8
Richard Chillingworth Godfrey (1791–1851) was baptised at St Ebbe’s Church, Oxford on 29 April 1789. He was the eldest of the eight children of Thomas Godfrey (1762–1822) and Ann Godfrey (née Chillingworth) (1768–1840), who had married in Marston in 1788.
Godfrey was an Oxford baker, and was described as still being of St Ebbe’s parish when on 8 June 1813 he married Charlotte Biggar (the youngest daughter of Mr Biggar, a blanket manufacturer of Hailey near Witney) at Witney.
The couple moved to Oxford’s High Street, where they were living when their three children were baptised in All Saints Church: Anne Biggar (10 December 1815), Mary (10 August 1817), and Thomas (7 September 1819).
Godfrey’s father died in 1822, and soon afterwards his mother married her second husband, James Paxton.
In Pigot’s 1823 and 1830 directories Godfrey is listed as a baker in Oxford’s High Street, but by 1839 his shop was at 8 St Giles' Road (now the south end of the Woodstock Road). In 1837 he inherited a house in Headington from Miss Elizabeth Bostall, which he let out.
In 1838 Godfrey’s daughter Mary married the Revd Thomas Taylor in St Giles' Church.
Godfrey was first chosen as a member of Oxford Town Council in 1840. At the time of the 1841 census he was a mealman aged 51, and was living at his Woodstock Road home with his wife Charlotte and his youngest daughter, Anne Biggar Godfrey, who was then 14.
Godfrey was re-elected on to the council in 1843 and 1846. He was an active member of the Board of Commissioners of streets. He was elected Sheriff of Oxford in 1846 and an Alderman in 1847. In November 1847 he was unamimously elected Mayor.
In 1850 Godfrey’s daughter Ann married Edward Culsha at St Giles' Church.
At the time of the 1851 census Godfrey was living with his wife in the Woodstock Road, and was described at the age of 61 as an Alderman and retired mealman.
Godfrey died at his home at the south end of the Woodstock Road on 7 July 1851 at the age of 62, and was buried at St Giles' Church.
The Court Rolls of the Manor of Heddington show that Godfrey left his Headington house jointly to the Revd Thomas Taylor of Colwall (his son-in-law) and George Bridges (grocer of 56 St Giles' Street).
See also:
- Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 12 June 1813: Announcement of Godfrey’s marriage
- Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 12 July 1851, p. 3b: Announcement of Godfrey’s death
- PCC Will PROB 11/2137 (Will of Richard Chillingworth Godfrey, Gentleman and Alderman of Oxford, proved 5 August 1851)
- 1841 Census: Oxford (St Giles), 891/06
- 1851 Census: Oxford (Summertown), 1727/482