A Murdered Goose Has Been Commemorated with a Statue in England

by Rob Leane

Godfrey the Goose—a famous inhabitant of Writtle, Essex, England—was attacked last year by a group of Indian runner ducks (believed to be domestic pets dumped in the local pond). He died of his injuries several months later.

Earlier this month, hundreds of locals from the area gathered to see a memorial statue of Godfrey unveiled. A local man named Bob Hibberd raised close to $700 to fund the production of the life-sized clay statue.

"I think this will bring some closure to the villagers who were upset at Godfrey’s death," Hibberd—whose partner, Jean Cakebread, has written children's books about Godfrey—told the Essex Chronicle.

“Because he was so old, over 30, people grew up with him from being in pushchairs all the way through to adulthood, and he was a real character," Hibberd added. “He used to chase people around, so while he was a figure that was feared by some, others loved him, and it is testament to that, that we were able to raise £500 to create the statue."

The Essex Chronicle noted that Godfrey was "famed for photobombing wedding pictures and patrolling the village pond." So we imagine he would have liked the attention afforded to him through this new statue, which is now on display beside the pond.

It's unknown if the ducks that cut Godfrey's life short were ever brought to justice. But at least the legendary waterfowl's legacy lives on.