Did you know Conwy had its very own town goose?

Meet Kelly!

In 1919, Erskine Garage acquired a new resident: a goose called Kelly, who would become one of Conwy’s best-known characters. Kelly was given to Mr Price senior as a Christmas present while the family were transporting poultry by lorry from Holyhead to Liverpool during a railway strike. He was presumably destined for the Christmas dinner table, but he soon became too much of a favourite to eat!

There are several newspaper articles about Kelly and his antics, and I’ve attached a few to this post.

His favourite haunt was Lancaster Square, beneath the statue of Prince Llywelyn in the centre of the fountain. He spent his time greeting passers-by and entertaining the crowds.

One article described Kelly as a gentleman, although he apparently had a particular fondness for young women. He also had a habit of poking his head into their pockets and helping himself to whatever took his fancy! A bit of a thief, then!

Fortunately for Kelly, his victims generally forgave him. He was also particularly skilled at begging and persuading people to provide him with treats.

Kelly even enjoyed addressing the crowds in Lancaster Square, much to their amusement. But if he stayed too long, someone from the garage would appear, waving their arms and shouting ‘Shoo!’ Kelly would then waddle indignantly back to the garage, protesting with angry quacks.

Sadly, Kelly died in 1925, caused by eating something he should have. But he was remembered decades later.

He was so popular, there were postcards made of him!

Credits: British Newspaper Archive, National Library of Wales, Conwy Archives