[2] Godwin was unhappy during his apprenticeship and this resulted in the fifteen-year-old running away with a friend on a ship bound for the Mediterranean.

Godwin jumped ship in Palermo and he was able to find work as a cabin boy bound for London.

However, in Menorca the whole crew of his ship was impressed into the Royal Navy on Godwin's 16th birthday, serving onboard the HMS Généreux.

Godwin continued to serve in the British navy during the War of the Second Coalition until the Treaty of Amiens was signed.

He initially tried his hand at building with his brother-in-law before realising that his poor skills as a cobbler were superior to his ability to be a builder.

[4] However, despite Godwin's efforts they were reduced to eating potatoes and drinking water and their evangelical mission came under active opposition.

Betsy had to remain in Bath as the money was poor, but Godwin's was helping at the local school and completing his own education.

The academy was training Baptist ministers and Godwin had initially turned down an offer to join the staff.

[2] In 1824 a new Sion Chapel was built in Bradford and Godwin became its minister on 31 October 1824 when he had the honour of Robert Hall giving a sermon.

After consulting the leading abolitionist James Stephen, he gave a series of well-attended talks at the newly built Bradford Exchange buildings.

Godwin wanted minds to be persuaded so he had Thomas Richmond prepare a second series of panels that illustrated the benefits of an egalitarian and multi-racial world that result from the abolition of slavery.

The proposal was too ambitious, but Godwin did deliver the four illustrated lectures in York and Scarborough and the texts were summarised in the local papers.

[7] Godwin arranged for a grand petition to be assembled in Yorkshire to persuade the British Anti-Slavery movement to be more active.

John Hustler helped with travel expenses in order that he could lobby the next meeting of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society in London.

Godwin also offered active assistance to Henry Brougham who was standing for parliament with an abolitionist agenda.

Copies were sent to peers and members of parliament and speakers and agents for anti-slavery looked on Godwin's book as a standard work.

He was given thanks and presents including tea sets and silver plate at a celebration that was attended by members from both houses of parliament.

He proposed that the newspaper needed to aim for a general appeal which meant that it should not exclusively champion the Liberal cause but should attempt to demonstrate the common interests of both employer and employees.

Following the death of long-serving and successful missionary society secretary Andrew Fuller it was decided to formalise the ownership.

[2] Godwin's role was employed in Liverpool to talk his way around Britain explaining the misunderstandings that were in circulation and to try to arrange a visit to the splintered missionaries in India.

Godwin acted outside his remit and he organised a difficult two-day meeting in November 1836 which agreed a merger between the two splintered groups.

[11] Godwin was included in a large commemorative painting of the 1840 convention where he can just be seen behind the head of Joseph Sturge who organised the conference.

[2] Godwin resigned his Oxford position in 1845 due to his failing health and the following year he and his wife returned to Bradford.

Another late honour was to be president of a newly formed Bradford female Anti-Slavery Society with his wife as secretary in 1856 and a committee of 24 women.

These letters have been evaluated academically and they are considered to be a good source on Godwin's life and the debates and affairs that he was involved with.