Tales from the Conwy Fairs

honey_buyerThis picture from Barry Griffiths shows Bill from Caernarfon at the 2015 Conwy Honey Fair, with his honey trolley.

Bill has been coming to the Fair for a great many years, often wearing shorts in quite cold weather. He buys a jar of honey from every stall. That’s nearly 30 stalls in a good honey year. He has told us that he saves all his 50p coins to buy honey. He says that he eats a jar of honey every week.  He was with us again at the 2023 Honey Fair.
One year he came to the Fair with a builder’s wheelbarrow and a blanket to protect the jars. He always brings back a large carrier bag full of empty jars.
We love to see him at the Fair, and we hope he continues to visit Conwy for many years to come.
…….
From Cathy Gee...The Honey Fair was the highlight of our year when we were teenagers! Welsh honey, no 8 rock and being allowed to go to Conwy on the bus without our parents! Happy days!
………
From Peter McFadden, Honey Fair Organizer...The 2016 Honey Fair was the last Conwy Fair attended by Colin Jones, who died in December 2016.  Colin was a Conwy Jackdaw (a person born within the Town Walls) and he lived within the Town Walls all his life, first in Rosehill Street, where his mother ran a guest house, and later in Uppergate Street.   I worked with him and his daughter Jackie  for many years, at the Hotpoint washing machine factory in Llandudno Junction.   I recall Colin saying to me at one of the Fairs that Edward 1st would be proud of me.  What a lovely comment!
………….
From Louise Doughty
Twice a year, Honey Fair and Seed Fair. Used to love it. My mum would buy her China from the China stall. She always bought Pwllheli no 8 rock and we’d try to get free samples. If it was a school day we’d rush home, change of out of uniform as fast as possible and rush down there. All the kids would have water pistols. It used to go on into the evening too.
……………
The late Mrs. Betty Pattinson OBE, former Mayor of Conwy told us that her grandparents first met at the Conwy Honey Fair.
……….
From a stallholder at the 2019 Honey Fair “A Chinese man bought a jar of our honey last year.  He phoned us a few days ago, and came here today, and bought 80 jars of our honey”.
……………………
From Sharon Doleman  “As a kid in the 60’s my best memories of Conway Fair are the entertaining stall holders selling tea sets and saucepans and in the evening the water pistols. My mam was born on 26 March Seed Fair day, only one my nain ever missed in 70 years”.

From Jim Scott  “I will always remember the man selling blankets, how he whacked they with a stick to prove how thick they were , and the the chap selling a whole basket full of pots.  He would throw the full basket in the air and catch them with out breaking any , and a pint of mild beer cost 10 pennies”.

From Katy Hughes, Just Moo Soaps  ” I had my best day anywhere at the Conwy Honey Fair in 2023.  I had to send my husband home for more stock”.

We’d love to hear your tales from the Conwy Fairs!
Email peterhoney914@gmail.com
Updated October 2023

…………………..