Britain's last hangman kept 'diaries of death'
Harry Allen, who oversaw dozens of executions between 1941 and 1964, kept a precise log of prisoners and how they died.
His matter-of-fact journal recorded details of each prisoner's age, weight, height and his calculations of how long the rope needed to be to generate the speed required to ensure a swift death.
Referring to one hanging, Allen suggested that, with hindsight, the rope had been too short.
He noted: "Very good job but should have had another two or three inches - very strong."
Allen was the chief executioner at 29 hangings and assisted at 53 others in London, Manchester and Leeds.
He always wore a black bow tie during executions as a sign of respect and for 15 years served as an assistant executioner, mostly to Albert Pierrepoint, who was recently the subject of a film starring Timothy Spall.
Read entire article at Telegraph (UK)
His matter-of-fact journal recorded details of each prisoner's age, weight, height and his calculations of how long the rope needed to be to generate the speed required to ensure a swift death.
Referring to one hanging, Allen suggested that, with hindsight, the rope had been too short.
He noted: "Very good job but should have had another two or three inches - very strong."
Allen was the chief executioner at 29 hangings and assisted at 53 others in London, Manchester and Leeds.
He always wore a black bow tie during executions as a sign of respect and for 15 years served as an assistant executioner, mostly to Albert Pierrepoint, who was recently the subject of a film starring Timothy Spall.