When 13 Jazz Monkeys Escaped Across West London in 1926
The Great Monkey Escape: A West London Tale 100 Years On
On Friday, 19 November 1926, what started as a routine burglary on Latimer Road in Notting Hill became one of the strangest incidents in West London’s recorded history. Thieves breaking into the premises of amusement caterer T Murphy expected to find poultry. Instead, they unleashed chaos when they opened a wooden coop containing 13 performing monkeys. The animals, trained musicians scheduled to perform at the World’s Fair at the Agricultural Hall near Christmas, scattered across rooftops and into the neighbourhood with alarming speed. For residents living in the tightly-knit communities around Notting Hill, Latimer Road station, and surrounding streets, what followed was an unprecedented ordeal that would dominate conversation for months. The monkeys weren’t merely mischievous—they were territorial, aggressive, and seemingly everywhere at once. Local shopkeepers, homeowners, and families faced genuine fear as the animals ransacked properties, destroyed goods, and intimidated anyone attempting capture. This forgotten episode reveals how even a century ago, West London communities came together—and how vulnerable they felt when their streets became unpredictable and dangerous.
Community Under Siege: How Local Residents Coped
The impact on everyday West Londoners was profound and immediate. Residents from Notting Hill to nearby Whitton reported terrifying encounters that disrupted their daily lives. One woman taking afternoon tea spotted a soot-covered monkey on her dresser and fainted; another who’d kept her window open for a decade permanently nailed it shut. An elderly woman in Mersey Street was nearly frightened to death when a trumpet-playing performer named Issacs entered her bedroom where her baby slept. Shopkeepers along Latimer Road and surrounding commercial areas tallied mounting losses—stolen sweets, broken crockery, ransacked stock—while Mr Murphy faced an avalanche of compensation claims. Grocers and stable owners reported constant raids. The psychological toll on residents was evident: fear replaced normalcy as families altered their routines, locked their homes more securely, and avoided venturing out alone. Local police stations received endless reports of sightings and incidents. Yet the community response was remarkably organised. Shopkeepers, residents, station staff, and even former military personnel who “understood monkeys” mobilised to protect their neighbourhood. This grassroots cooperation, born from necessity, demonstrated the resilience of West London’s tight-knit communities during crisis.
What Happened Next: Capture, Consequences, and Legacy
By mid-morning on 20 November, six of the thirteen monkeys were either lured back to their cages with food or captured by residents and authorities working in coordination. A small group of seven fugitives continued evading capture, including Franko, the band leader and ambitious saxophonist valued at over £100—crucial to the World’s Fair performance. A £25 reward was posted, attracting bounty hunters alongside officials. The remaining monkeys, described in newspapers with memorable detail—Bimbo the drummer, Snookums the cigarette-thieving cymbalist, Sandy, and Franko—became the subject of intense manhunts involving some 20 people. The eventual resolution of the incident remains documented in period newspapers, though accounts vary regarding final capture details. For West London’s communities, the episode left lasting impressions on how neighbourhoods organise during unexpected crises. Today, this obscure historical moment serves as a reminder of the neighbourhood’s character—its vulnerability, its resourcefulness, and its capacity to unite when threatened. From Hounslow to Whitton and throughout Richmond’s neighbouring areas, local residents continue discovering and sharing this remarkable 1926 story, keeping alive the memory of when West London faced its most unusual invasion and emerged transformed by the experience.
Source: When A 13-Piece Monkey Jazz Band Escaped, Running Riot Across West London
