I have just watched the film, 'Pierrepoint' (starring Timothy Spall), about the life of Britain's most jovial and efficient executioner - Albert Pierrepoint - who, though having hanged over 600 people in his career ending with Ruth Ellis, was not quite our last one.
I have been putting off seeing this film, because I thought it might be too depressing, but I was surprised at how little it was. He was responsible for seeing out most of the Nazi war criminals in Germany at 1945, processing around 13 a day for two weeks.
When he was not hanging people, he was running a pub, and the executions were a little side-line. He prided himself on the speed of his methods, breaking previous records by getting a condemned prisoner from the waiting cell to a six-foot drop in around 12 or 13 seconds. Not bad. Saves all that hanging around, and we all hate long goodbyes.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to buy Mr Pierrepoint's professional briefcase containing tools and equipment - the leather straps for ankles and arms, the last bit of good rope with metal noose, a white cotton hood, a tape measure and a few of his notebooks containing hand-written comments on various jobs (how it went, how tall/heavy the prisoner and how thick/strong his/her neck, etc.) - but H.I. said she didn't want them in the house.
Shame. I could have bought them for £2000, but I see they are now for sale at £65,000.
I heard a radio play about him some time back. He came across as a rather odd little man who was only interested in the money (for each job).
ReplyDeleteA late uncle's solicitors (in East Grinstead) are called Pierrepoint and Co, I wonder if they're related. They'd hang mice if it saved them money.
It's obviously a French name in origin, but I don't know how many there were/are. According to the film, the money was an excuse to take himself off the list, having just hanged one of his friends. I'm not sure that was a true episode though - it's not mentioned in any of the Googled references, and I haven't read his autobiography.
DeleteI think H.I. was right. Bad chi in the house.
ReplyDeleteI am in two minds about it. How would you feel about owning a piece of the 'true cross'?
DeleteI wouldn't have it in my house - and if you offer me the bone of a Saint: neither. Believe it or not: I even wouldn't have a painting like Guernica under the condition that I had to hang it up.
DeleteI wouldn't have it in my house - and if you offer me the bone of a Saint: neither. Believe it or not: I even wouldn't have a painting like Guernica under the condition that I had to hang it up.
DeleteOk - I believe you.
DeleteGives me the heebie-jeebies ..... my Dad used to gig at one of the London prisons Christmas parties for the prison officers and Britain's last excecutioner { Harry Allen ? } always turned up. My Dad loved anything macarbe ..... I can just imagine him asking about all the gory details although, because of the Official Secrets Act, they weren't allowed to say anything were they ? XXXX
ReplyDeleteYes, Harry Allen was the last, but he only officiated at about 60 hangings, as opposed to Pierrepoint's 608.
DeletePart of the secrecy was to do with respect for the condemned. Pierrepoint was - if you believe the film - supposed to be highly respectful and non-judgemental about his victims, but maybe that detachment was what made him so coldly efficient.
I totally agree with your H.I. & Britta. Not a good idea to have such ghastly equipment in one's home.
ReplyDeleteIf you have the same detachment as Pierrepoint himself had toward them, then I suspect you might be immune to any relics of the sort which many churches are stuffed full of, which people go to gloat at.
DeleteWasn't his " items" up for bidding on , on the TV series " four Rooms".?
ReplyDeleteThey might have been - I don't know. I came across the little briefcase at a sale in a newspaper, years ago. Since H.I. put me off, I don't know what they eventually sold for, but 2K was the asking price.
DeleteAs I recall not one of the buyers put a. Bid in for it
DeleteI would have, but then again I wouldn't have been doing it in the full glare of the media. People get stupidly embarrassed by showing the less worthy aspects of their characters in public.
DeleteI'm with H.I. Making money from executions for the second time around is kind of strange anyway. But the kit description still intrigued me. I just don't think I'd want it in my house.
ReplyDeleteHe got about £1.50 per go I think, which was not much - even in 1945 - for a whole day out, travelling across the country to places like Shepton Mallet from the Midlands. Meals and travel were extra, though.
DeleteI know what you mean about morbidly making money from stuff like that, and I feel the same way about Nazi memorabilia. I would still love to be the proud owner of Hitler's skull though, but maybe that's just a throw-back to some ancient British head-cult.
In the beginning of the film, Pierrepoint is disappointed to learn that he is only to be the assistant to another recently qualified hang-man at the first execution.
After the deed was done (according to the film) the hang-man quits the job in disgust, saying that Pierrepoint can keep all the money - he didn't want it for taking a man's life. Now that I CAN understand.