Born in Lincoln, Golightly grew up in Peterborough, and attended the Great Northern Railway Company's British School.
[1] Golightly net moved to Manchester, and in 1892, he was elected to the ASE's national council, representing Division 3, and relocating to London.
He was elected to the Leyton Urban District Council in 1898, serving for 21 years in total, including a period as chair.
[1] In 1903, he was elected as chairman of the council of the ASE, but he lost his seat later in the year, because he had opposed proposed strike action on Clydeside.
He retired from work and trade unionism in 1929, but remained active in local politics, serving on Chigwell Council from 1938.