Hilda May Staveley was born in Muston on March 29th 1890, the daughter of John Staveley (1861-1909) Mary Elizabeth Staveley ( nee Boynton ) (1864-1944).

In the 1901 census Hilda Staveley is age 11 and living in Muston. Her relation to the Head of house George Boynton age 59 is that of Grandchild. Ann Boynton his wife is aged 61 and Edith Annie, Hilda May’s sister, is also living at this address and is 14 years of age.

She was married to Henry George Godfrey on May 31st 1909 at St Saviours Church in Scarborough. The Wedding caused quite a stir and got a mention in the local newspapers. Several Jack Tars ( seamen ) had replaced the horse. George Godfrey of HMS Hindustan and his bride, a Scarborough girl, who had changed her name just before at St Saviours Church from Miss Hilda Staveley to Mrs Hilda Godfrey. Visitors entered into the spirit of the incident and the couple received many a greeting. Hilda May is 19 years old and Henry is 23 years old.

The 1911 census shows Hilda as being aged 21 and Head of the house. She is living at 8 Belle Vue Street, Scarborough, and is shown as being married. It is very likely that her husband is away on a ship. Walter Boynton Staveley is her brother and is aged 15 and living with her. Their father died in 1909.

Their first child Edwin Henry Godfrey is born on September 16th 1911 at Scarborough. Sadly he dies at the age of 16 months in Portsmouth where his mother and father are recorded as living at 4 Canal Walk, Landford. At this point Henry George Godfrey is serving aboard the dreadnought battleship HMS Britannia.

Their first daughter, Hilda May Godfrey is born on 16th May 1913 and baptised at St James Church near Portsmouth on January 25th 1914. The family then move to Ireland where Henry is stationed as a lighthouse keeper in Mullaghmore, County Sligo. They are living at 6 Coastguard Cottages. Eileen Godfrey is born on January 16th 1920 at Mullaghmore in Co Sligo.

Having returned from Ireland Henry Godfrey now takes a job as a leading boatman for the coastguard. They are living at 5 Coastguard Station, Bexhill Road, St Leonards on Sea. Mary Elizabeth Godfrey is born on 9th January 1923. Dora Lane Godfrey is born on May 6th 1924. Vera Godfrey follows on May 6th 1925.

The birth of their last child, John David Godfrey takes place on June 10th 1931 which is quite a gap. At this time they appear to be living in Exeter.

The family have moved to Westward Ho by the time of the census in 1939. The family settle here and Henry becomes the Lighthouse Keeper in Westward Ho for the next 15 years before he retires in 1946. The Bull Point Lighthouse was build in 1879 and shown here in the photo. It was demolished and rebuilt in 1974 due to ground subsidence and infrastructure problems. It is most likely that Henry Godfrey worked here.

They live at 4 Westbourne Terrace, Westward Ho, Bideford in Devon. Whilst this would have been housing in 1939 it is now a pub and within just a short walking distance of the beach.

Just before Henry retires he finds a body of a local women, a Mrs Mildred Cartwright, who had committed suicide along the beach about 2 miles from the slipway at Westward Ho.

After his retirement the couple continued to live in Bideford at Sea View Road. Henry died at Bideford Hospital in 1961. He is buried at St Margarets Church, Northam. Hilda died in 1974 in Exeter.