25/02/2025
Jack the Baboon was an extraordinary railway signalman in South Africa during the late 19th century. He worked for the Cape Town–Port Elizabeth railway from 1881 to 1890, assisting his disabled owner, James “Jumper” Wide, who had lost both legs in a train accident. Jumper initially trained Jack to push his wheelchair and later taught him to operate railway switches and signals.
The railway authorities were skeptical at first, but after rigorous testing, they were so impressed with Jack’s accuracy that they officially employed him, paying him in rations and a small salary. Over nine years of service, Jack never made a single mistake, flawlessly responding to train whistles and signal requests. His remarkable intelligence and reliability made him a local legend. After his passing in 1890, his skull was preserved and is now displayed at the Albany Museum in South Africa.
