Hartlepool

Today we took the train to Hartlepool to go see some family. Hartlepool is famous for an embarassing mix up that supposedly took place during the Napoleonic Wars. A ship crashed off shore and the only survivor was a monkey, presumably kept on board to amuse the sailors. The people of Hartlepool had never seen a Frenchman before so they assumed the monkey was a French spy and they hung it on the beach. To this day, people from Hartlepool are known as monkey hangers.

Ricki posing for a picture with the first mayor of West Harltepool, William Gray

And in front of the art gallery which is a converted Victorian church