William Godfrey was born in London England and came to Montreal in 1910. He studied under Ernest Fosbery and Paul Alfred afterwards moving to Toronto to attend classes at the Toronto Central Technical School under A. Harvey, John Chester and F.S. Challener. He produced most of his block prints during the 1930's. Godfrey was a member of the Society of Canadian Painter-Etchers and Engravers and the Canadian Society of Graphic Art.