Hartlepool monkey hanging

A while ago at high school our history teacher told the class a story about a monkey that survived a shipwreck off the east coast of England, and washed up on the shores of Hartlepool. Heres an article...


The monkey-hanging legend is the most famous story connected with Hartlepool. During the Napoleonic Wars a ship was wrecked off the Hartlepool coast.

During the Napoleonic Wars there was a fear of a French invasion of Britain and much public concern about the possibility of French infiltrators and spies.

The fishermen of Hartlepool fearing an invasion kept a close watch on the French vessel as it struggled against the storm but when the vessel was severely battered and sunk they turned their attention to the wreckage washed ashore. Among the wreckage lay one wet and sorrowful looking survivor, the ship's pet monkey dressed to amuse in a military style uniform.

The fishermen apparently questioned the monkey and held a beach-based trial. Unfamiliar with what a Frenchman looked like they came to the conclusion that this monkey was a French spy and should be sentenced to death. The unfortunate creature was to die by hanging, with the mast of a fishing boat (a coble) providing a convenient gallows.

Now over the years i've noticed a few hartlepool-monkey relationships. Mainly that the local football teams mascot is a monkey called 'hangus'. Also the current mayor won election wearing a monkey suit running a bananas for school children campain. So the town seems to have really taken it on board.

I just wondered if anyone else has an opinion wether this is possible?

Though it is funny, if a little disturbing showing the extent of irrationality.

[Stoneage Dinosaur]

Welcome to the boards, Horace Bones.

Whilst it is a fun legend, for it to be true one would have to assume that either the people of Hartlepool are incredibly unintelligent, or that Frenchmen look like monkeys, and clearly neither of these are remotely true.

The North East England History Pages names the French vessel as the Chasse Maree, and also includes a poem.

[queen of the caramels]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_hanger

http://www.thisishartlepool.co.uk/hi...poolmonkey.asp

I remember seeing a thread on the old board about this as well. I'll post that up when I find it. Oops , I don't appear to have access to the old board at the moment.

queen of the monkey-hangering caramels

eta spanked by Stoneage Dinosaur

[queen of the caramels]

Originally Posted by Stoneage Dinosaur

Welcome to the boards, Horace Bones.

Whilst it is a fun legend, for it to be true one would have to assume that either the people of Hartlepool are incredibly unintelligent, or that Frenchmen look like monkeys, and clearly neither of these are remotely true.

The North East England History Pages names the French vessel as the Chasse Maree, and also includes a poem.

Of course people from WEST Hartlepool are renowned for their intelligence....

queen(not from Old Hartlepool) of the caramels

Originally Posted by Stoneage Dinosaur

or that Frenchmen look like monkeys,

But don't all Frenchmen have tails?

Originally Posted by evilrabbit

But don't all Frenchmen have tails?

Unless they've suffered from a bout of castration flu.

The monkey could have been female. Afterall i've seen hairier women then my self en francias.

An im no coot...

[llewtrah]

Were these the same folks who supposedly put fishing nets across the river to keep out the typhoid germs?

i think that maybe a monkey would be special enough to climb enough to make himself unhangable... he can use his tail to catch himself and stuff...

[VeebleFetzer]

Originally Posted by Stoneage Dinosaur

The North East England History Pages names the French vessel as the Chasse Maree, and also includes a poem.

Shows how much they know: a chasse maree was a type of vessel, not the vessel's name.

Here's the thread from the old board. The smart money's still on the story being based on a comic song, rather than a true event.

[Horse Chestnut]

For the fishermen had got druncky oh!

I'm betting some casks of wine washed up on shore along with the monkey, and...well...one thing led to another.

[Embra]

I can't get to the old thread, but anyway...

There have been historical instances of animals being subjected to "human" punishments (hanging a sow; sentencing insects to death etc.). I've got a very interesting book about it at home... But usually, the animal was recognised as an animal, rather than being taken for a person. Is it possible that the people of Hartlepool did hang a monkey, while being aware that this was a symbolic act?

[Billy Beccles]

Originally Posted by VeebleFetzer

Shows how much they know: a chasse maree was a type of vessel, not the vessel's name.

Here's the thread from the old board. The smart money's still on the story being based on a comic song, rather than a true event.

Chasse-Maree is also a very good French magazine about boats and boating, should you ever be on the lookout for a very good French magazine about boats and boating.

I have vague memories of being told that during the Napoleonic Wars, both sides were wary of the other using primitive germ warfare. There was a siege, possibly in San Domingo, where one army was forced to remain near a malarial swamp; speculation about the British using arsenic (in the wallpaper) to poison Napoleon; and the conclusion of this symposium (mostly fuelled by Cameron's) was that the Hartlepudlians suspected that the monkey might have been washed ashore deliberately to infect the populace. They couldn't shoot or cut it in case its blood splashed on them. So they hanged it.

But that credits them with intelligence, so baisez-cela pour un jeu de soldats.

[llewtrah]

Originally Posted by Embra

I can't get to the old thread, but anyway...

There have been historical instances of animals being subjected to "human" punishments (hanging a sow; sentencing insects to death etc.). I've got a very interesting book about it at home... But usually, the animal was recognised as an animal, rather than being taken for a person. Is it possible that the people of Hartlepool did hang a monkey, while being aware that this was a symbolic act?

Aah yes, IIRC there was something in Eskapa's "Bizarre Sex" about a woman who committed a sexual act with a donkey. The donkey was not hanged because the owner could prove it was of "previous good character".

I do tend to agree with you both Embra and billy as to the circumstances that would lead a monkey to be hung.

But logistics? like gwlith said...

Originally Posted by gwlith y wawr

i think that maybe a monkey would be special enough to climb enough to make himself unhangable... he can use his tail to catch himself and stuff...

Unless they used added ballast? Has this ever been done?

[Don Enrico]

You'll have to take into consideration that the alleged monkey just survived an alleged shipwreck - allegedly. He might have been to exausted to escape the alleged hanging.

Or he was bound (including the tail).

Or he wasn't a monkey at all, but an ape (with no tail).

Don Enrico

[Eddylizard]

Regardless of the prisoners simian status, I would think that had the French wanted to infiltrate us with spies, they'd have a bit more sense than to dress their spy up in a French military uniform. In times of international tension, it sort of makes your spy stand out a bit, doesn't it?

I have serious doubts about the legality of this case, and whether this was a safe conviction.

We have no evidence that the monkey was a willing participant in the French actions. The monkey was probably not a French citizen, and most likely a captive, forced to perform acts of war against his desires.

The trial records should be examined to establish whether the monkey was given the opportunity to speak in his defence.

I for one may campaign for a full enquiry into the trial, at the end of which I am hoping the monkey will be exhonorated, with a full pardon, and a substantial cash compensation for his descendants.

[Mickey Blue]

Originally Posted by Horse Chestnut

I'm betting some casks of wine washed up on shore along with the monkey, and...well...one thing led to another.

I hear ya, its rare for me to have a few drinks and not hang a monkey (get your minds outta the gutter)..

-MB

Originally Posted by Mickey Blue

I hear ya, its rare for me to have a few drinks and not hang a monkey (get your minds outta the gutter)..

-MB

But we're so happy down here...

[TrishDaDish]

I'm surprized vanilla hasn't chimed in yet - in the December 21, 2003 cartoon of Get Fuzzy, Bucky gets a book for Christmas called "The Hartlepool Monket Incident". (Bucky Katt has a thing for monkeys, for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about. Mostly, he wants to kill and eat them.)

Trish "Imagine...A place where monkeys wash up on the beach like hairy ocean fruit..." DaDish

According to local folklore, during the Napoleonic wars, a French ship of the type chasse marée was wrecked off the coast of Hartlepool. The only survivor was a monkey, wearing a French uniform (possibly to provide amusement for those onboard the ship). On finding the monkey, some locals decided to hold an impromptu trial on the beach; since the monkey was unable to answer their questions, they concluded that it was a French spy. The animal was thus sentenced to death and hanged from the mast of a fishing boat.

Highly unlikely - yes (and very irrational) but what the hell - its something to put our little town on the map for at least? (Not forgetting Andy Capp and poor Flo too)

Did you know that in 2005 a Monkey Bone was washed up on the beach? Still a mystery though ...

Monkey Hanger (and proud of it)
C'mon 'Pools !