NOSTALGIA: The ‘tail’ of monkey mayhem in the china department of a Boston shop in 1965

The drama took place at Keightley’s store in West Street after the Rhesus monkeys escaped when the store’s handyman opened their large cage to feed them.

The monkeys were brought up from Birmingham to delight children during a Christmas shopping event, but they escaped and went on a ‘riot’ early one morning.
Store owner Cyril Keightley said: “They had a rare old time swinging from the fittings and around the china display. They were at it for 15 minutes before I managed to catch one of the little chaps. He began squealing and the other two threw themselves at me.”
With the help of staff, all four monkeys were caught and put back in their cage before the store opened.

Despite being ‘battered’, Mr Keightley said he was relieved not one piece of china was broken.