The Great Monkey Escape in Notting Hill in 1926

We do love the quirky stories that the Archive contains.

Indeed, on almost every Archive page that we look at, our attention will be diverted as we spot a story with a quirky headline.

The Scanning Team at Colindale Library are world-leading experts in spotting quirky stories, and it was the ‘Scanners’ who passed on this wonderful “shaggy monkey’s tale” to us, so we could post it on the blog.

It seems that the mass break-out took place from a circus that had been visiting the Notting Hill area. Before the escape, the monkeys had been members of a jazz band, it is reported.

We especially love the report about the monkey who whisked himself away on a train!

Nottingham Evening Post – Monday 22 November 1926

Image © Northcliffe Media Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000321/19261122/015/0005