who hung the monkey???

[cheyenne]

my mother hails from wallsend and years ago some one said to her ,who hung the monkey and started laughing! is it true they hung a monkey that came from a ship ?because they thought it was a spy??

[Cetti]

Hard to believe, isn't it? Legend has it that during the Napoleonic Wars a French ship was wrecked off the English coast near Hartlepool. These ships were easy pickings for the locals who 'removed' the cargo, but on one occasion there was a witness - the monkey, so never having seen anyone from across the Channel before they mistook the poor creature for a French spy - and hung him. This is why people from Hartlepool are called 'Monkey-hangers. Now if you believe that.....makes a good yarn though!

[gazzawazza]

There exists (apparently) historical evidence that this is not a yarn but did in fact take place just as Cetti has described.

Strangely enough, some people around these parts get very animated at the very mention of it!!!

[Quizmonster]

I'm certainly not saying earlier answers are wrong, but this sort of story exists in various places around the British coast, including at the village of Boddam in the far north-east of Scotland. People from neighbouring villages used to chant: "The Boddamers hanged the monkey-o!" The idea is that it is just a 'friendly' insult, usually bandied about between rival communities.

[Janetex]

Never, never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

[bernardo]

One theory is that it actually happened loads of times, in various places.

[derbyram]

The mascot for Hartlepool football club is called 'Angus the monkey' and the bloke inside the suit got elected to mayor - campaigning as Angus but then disappointed the electorate by removing the suit and taking his duties semi-seriously. They must be long nights in Hartlepool.

[Numbers]

Hartlepool's mascot actually rejoices in the name of H'Angus, though I hope he won't have much to cheer next Monday night.