Britain’s last hangman

[KevM]

This is absolutely not a comment by me on the rights and wrongs of capital punishment, and in view of the quite shocking outbreak of civility that has prevailed on this forum recently it would probably be prudent to avoid the direct discussion of the emotive and divisive central topic.

All that said, I found this article very thought provoking in its description of the interactions of prison service personnel with the condemned man and each other in the final hours before an execution.

Britain’s last hangman
On a winter morning in 1963 Harry Allen hanged Russell Pascoe, the penultimate execution of his 23-year career. Fifty years after the final hanging in the UK, prison officer Robert Douglas recalls being present for the last hours in the short life of a condemned man

 

[Phil Pascoe]

About 30yrs ago I read the biography of Airey Neave, who was a prosecutor at Nuremberg - that's worth reading for an insight of those trials.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The Redruth - Camborne area in Cornwall has the world's highest population of "Pascoe"s (damhikt) - I wondered if he came from around here, but I see he was a foreigner who came from Truro.

 

[cusimar9]

Interesting and sombre reading

 

[Woodmonkey]

Watch "pierrepoint", very very good film based on Albert Pierrepoint who hanged over 400 people, including many of the Nazis after the war.

 

[Harbo]

I used to play with a boy, and I found out years later, that his father had been hanged for shooting a policeman. Although I didn't know at the time. there was a feeling of sadness/intrigue about the family which I couldn't understand? I was quite upset for them when I found out.

I am not in favour of Capital Punishment but cannot understand why the Americans use the barbaric methods they do?
Hanging done properly seems to be the most "humane" method or failing that the Guillotine?

Rod

 

[Bod]

Watch "pierrepoint", very very good film based on Albert Pierrepoint who hanged over 400 people, including many of the Nazis after the war.

Read his book.
He was right. If it has to be done, do it well. But it will never stop the heat of the moment, between man & wife.

Title
Executioner, Pierrepoint
Author
Albert Pierrepoint
Edition
illustrated
Publisher
Harrap, 1974
ISBN
0245520708, 9780245520709


Bod