The Incredible Story Of The Gorilla Raised As A Boy In An English Village
The astounding true tale of John Daniel, a gorilla that went to school, drank cider, and lived like a human
In 1918, a young gorilla called John Daniel was adopted by an English family and raised like a normal boy in the village of Uley. Well, he was mostly raised as a boy, he went to school, had his own room, and loved a cup of tea - but he was also fond of cider.
The tale came to wider attention when village archivist Margaret Groom published a book featuring rare photographs of John Daniel and the people who helped raise him. But how did a gorilla come to be raised like a small boy in rural England? And was he really “just like one of the kids”? (Spoiler: not quite—but closer than you might think.)
How did a gorilla end up in a small English village?
John Daniel’s story begins in 1917, when a British Army major named Rupert Penny purchased a young gorilla from Derry & Toms, a now-defunct department store in London.
Sadly, selling exotic animals in stores wasn’t unheard of back then. Penny reportedly paid £300—a staggering sum equivalent to around £25,000 today (or $34,000 USD).
The infant ape had been captured in what is now Gabon, after French soldiers killed his parents. Major Penny named him John Daniel, but soon, unsurprisingly, realised he couldn’t manage the young gorilla himself.
So in 1918, he sent the animal to his sister, Alyce Cunningham, who lived in the small Gloucestershire village of Uley. Neither Alyce nor the villagers had any experience with primates either, so they decided to raise John as if he were simply a particularly hirsute child.
A gorilla with his own room and a penchant for tea and cider
Alyce affectionately nicknamed him “Sultan,” and John Daniel quickly adapted to village life. He had his own bedroom, could turn lights on and off, and even used the toilet. According to those who remember him, he was gentle, sociable, and unusually well-mannered for an ape. Although, unlike most toddlers (and apes), he did develop a notable taste for cider.
John was a regular sight around Uley. He played with the local schoolchildren, joined them for walks, and rode in the Cunninghams’ convertible. Villagers often saw him wandering into gardens to sample the roses or visiting homes known for their cider supplies.
Archivist Margaret Groom told Gloucester Live:
“Until recently, we had people that remembered him walking around the village with the children. He used to go into gardens and eat the roses.
“The children used to push him around in a wheelbarrow. He knew which house was good for cider, and would often go to that house to draw a mug of cider.
“He was also fascinated by the village cobbler, and would watch him repairing shoes. He had his own bedroom, he could use the light switch and toilet, he made his own bed and helped with the washing up.”
John Daniel also spent time in London, where Alyce had a second home on Sloane Street. There, he attended dinner parties and enjoyed drinking tea with the guests.
The young gorilla spent three happy years in Uley from 1918 to 1921. Sadly, it was not to last.
A sad farewell -John is sold to the circus
By 1921, the once-small 32-pound infant had grown into a huge 210-pound gorilla. And John Daniel was going to get a lot bigger. Alyce, who had cared deeply for him, realised she could no longer safely keep him.
Sad, but realistic, Alyce Cunningham had come to realise that someone else would need to care for John.
Returning him to the wild wasn’t an option as it was unlikely he would survive in Africa, and there were no suitable sanctuaries at the time. Eventually, a wealthy American buyer, who claimed to love animals, expressed interest, promising to give John a good home in Florida. Alyce agreed, and John Daniel was sold for 1,000 guineas.
Sadly, that claim of a nice home was soon broken. Instead of living out his days in peace, John was sold to the Barnum & Bailey Circus and eventually ended up in the zoo at Madison Square Garden, New York.
He soon became ill, and his condition deteriorated rapidly. Believing the gorilla was grieving for his ‘mother’, Alyce, the zookeepers contacted her. Upon hearing what had happened to her much-loved ‘Sultan’, Alyce set sail for the United States immediately—but it was too late. John Daniel died of pneumonia before she arrived.
Remembering John Daniel
His body was given to the American Museum of Natural History, where he was preserved and put on display in 1922. A century later, John Daniel is still there.
Back in Uley, his story lives on. Though no villagers remain who met him personally, the tale resurfaced in 2017 thanks to the book by Margaret Groom. The book featured pictures of John with Alyce, being looked after by locals, and playing with the children.
A commemorative memorial was later commissioned: a Portland stone relief created by artist Sebastian Rach, showing John flanked by children, based on a real photo from the time.
Dr. Rod White, the Uley Society treasurer, said:
“We would like to commemorate the centenary of John Daniel’s life in Uley.
“A lot of young people in the village had never heard the story before it went viral in January 2017. Since then, there has been a lot of interest. It is one of the more romantic stories of Uley.”
What an incredible and bittersweet story.
It’s heartbreaking how it ended, but also amazing how loved he was.
Thank you for sharing this.