While in later life Godwin was a creative polymath,   the first twenty years of his career were focused on architecture and much of that work was done in Bristol.

1848                       At the age of fifteen Godwin was articled to  William Armstrong, City Surveyor, Architect and Civil Engineer  with offices at 7 Brunswick Street Bristol

1848-1852            Co- authors and illustrates, The Architectural Antiquities of Bristol and its  Neighbourhoods

1852                       Godwin establishes his own architectural practice in Bristol. Over the next few years he  designs a number of small properties in Ireland, and spends  two years there (1856- 1858) with his brother. He also conducts a number of church refurbishments in Devon  and Gloucestershire and co-designs Western College in Plymouth. Most of his work in this period though is in Bristol. The following is just the stuff that actually got built.

1852                       Trinity Branch School, Easton, now demolished.

1854-71                Restores and refurbishes Church of SS Philip and Jacob

1856                       Merchant St factory for Smith’s horsehair merchant, demolished

1858                       Perry’s Carriage Works, Stokes Croft

1860                       SS Philip and Jacob School

1860                       No’s 10-11, Rockleaze, Sneyd Park Bristol

1862-1864            Designs apse cloister and tower for Cotham Parish Church

1866                       Bristol Wagon Works Company workshops in  Lawrence Hiil. Can’t find an exterior shot of this , but the interior did look like this.

1866                       Parish Room for Village Hall, Westbury-upon-trym

1867                       Two new wards, a morgue and post-mortem room for Bristol Royal Infirmary

1867                       Worked on conversion of a chapel on Unity Street

1868                       74 and 76  Stokes Croft

1869                       Adds stables and cottages to Cherry Orchard Farm Westbury-upon- trym

1870                       Designs Polglase and Company warehouse on Stephen Street

Other Key Godwin Sites In Bristol

21 Portland Square – home to his architecture practice

Rupert Chambers 2 Quay Street

Brighton Villa, Richmond Road, Montpellier, where lived with his first wife from 1859 to her death in 1865

Information and pictures are thin on the ground, though I have seen photos of the Merchant Street factory and the  SS Philips and Jacob school and hope to get them on the blog soon.  All information and photos on any of these buildings will be gladly received.