In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the hangman was often a condemned criminal themselves who had been reprieved on condition that they executed the others condemned at that assize. Thus the names of very few provincial hangmen are
Didn’t really get implemented until the beginning of the 20th century, however.
Up to 1888 the hangman supplied his own rope and pinioning straps and after the execution was also allowed to take the prisoner’s clothes and retain the rope. In notorious murder cases these items could be sold for a considerable sum to Madame Tussaud’s wax works and to morbid members of the public.
From 1892 proper training was given to applicants, firstly at Newgate and then later at Pentonville prison. This lasted a week and taught the correct procedures for working out the drop and conducting a hanging. At the same time the officials were also able to assess the applicants personality and their motives for wanting the
Known for this period.
Prior to the resignation of James Berry in 1892, anyone could apply to a prison governor to carry out at an execution. Thus, for instance, William Marwood simply applied to the governor of Lincoln Gaol to hang Frederick Horry. Prior to Marwood there was very little science applied to hanging and it was really a question of the hangman having the stomach for the job rather than any specific skill. When Berry resigned the Home Office decided that would be hangmen should attend for interviews with prison governors. Several were interviewed at London’s Millbank prison to be Berry’s successor. The Aberdare Committee had recommended that there be a qualified assistant at every execution who could take over if required. This job. Once qualified they would be added to the official list and work initially in the role of assistant until they had amassed sufficient experience to take over as principal. Not all assistants ever did graduate to principals however, perhaps they had no wish to.
Those who did were solely responsible for setting up the drop, pinioning the prisoner and carrying out the hanging. They were required to be at the prison by 4.00 p. m. on the day prior to the execution. Once there they would arrange to take a look at the prisoner to assess their physical features and obtain their weight and height from the prison doctor to enable them to calculate the drop. The assistant’s duties were to help the hangman set up the equipment and the drop and to strap the prisoner’s legs. The hangmen did everything else and was in full charge from the moment he entered the condemned cell. After the execution the hangman and assistant were responsible for taking the body down and preparing it for autopsy. Having tidied the gallows and packed the rest of the equipment back into the execution boxes they were then free to leave the prison. They had to sign the Official Secrets Act and were not allowed to divulge any details of the execution to the public or the press.
World History
