Jack the Signalman.

 

In the 1880s, a chacma baboon named Jack made history — not for mischief, but for working as a railway signalman in South Africa. And yes, he was paid in money and beer.

Jack belonged to James “Jumper” Wide, a railway signalman who had lost both his legs in a train accident. To help him get around and do his job, James adopted Jack in 1881 and trained him to push his wheelchair. But Jack quickly proved he could do a lot more.

Soon, Jack was opening gates, fetching keys, helping with gardening, and — most remarkably — operating the railway signals. James taught Jack to recognize which lever controlled which track. At first, Jack followed hand signals from James to pull the correct lever. But before long, he didn’t need any cues — he learned to do it on his own.

Jack never made a single mistake in his years of service at Uitenhage station. He worked faithfully under James’ supervision and became a local legend. What started as a practical solution turned into one of the most heartwarming examples of human-animal teamwork in history.