The Monkey Hangers
The moniker “Monkey Hangers” has become an enduring and somewhat peculiar part of the identity of the people of Hartlepool in Northeast England. This unusual nickname traces its origins to a bizarre incident during the Napoleonic Wars. As the story goes, in a time of heightened paranoia, the townspeople of Hartlepool discovered a monkey washed ashore from a shipwreck.

Mistaking the creature for a French spy due to its unfamiliar appearance and attire, they subjected the unfortunate animal to a mock trial and, tragically, decided to hang it. The legend of this bizarre event has persisted for centuries, and the people of Hartlepool have embraced the nickname with a sense of humor.