General
monkey hanger
What does monkey hanger mean?
A person from Hartlepool, from the local legend of hanging a monkey as a French spy.
"He's a proud Monkey Hanger from Hartlepool."
Origin
From the Napoleonic-era legend that Hartlepool folk hanged a shipwrecked monkey believing it a spy.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'monkey hanger' mean?
It's a nickname for a person from Hartlepool, tied to a local legend about the town.
Where does 'monkey hanger' come from?
It comes from the Napoleonic-era legend that Hartlepool folk hanged a shipwrecked monkey, believing it to be a French spy.
Is 'monkey hanger' offensive?
It's largely embraced with humour and pride by Hartlepool locals, even inspiring the football mascot H'Angus the Monkey.
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