In 1843 he was appointed High Sheriff of Leitrim and, in the following year, Deputy Lieutenant and a Justice of the Peace.

He was one of three candidates in the two-member electorate, and he faced strong opposition by the Roman Catholic priests, who opposed his emigration scheme to Canada as a measure to address the Irish famine.

Edward King Tenison and Charles Skeffington Clements beat Godley with 385 and 354 votes to 319.

Randolph, Cressy, Sir George Seymour, and Charlotte Jane all carried pilgrims and supplies for the planned colony.

He negotiated with the Canterbury Association in order to get them to change their conditions for pastoral leases to ensure that the colony was able to make a good start with a strong farming base.

At a banquet held in his honour at Greenwich's Trafalgar Hotel, Godley gave an insightful overview of the progress made in Canterbury during the short time since its founding.

His nephew was General Sir Alexander Godley, the controversial commander of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) in WWI.

Archaeologists believe that Godley's two-storey house had at least six rooms, which is substantial for a very early colonial building.