#288 | Albert Pierrepoint | Britain’s Most Famous Executioner
English Learning for Curious Minds
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Pierpoint's Last Execution
In 19 55, pierpoint was the hangman in the case of the last woman to be executed in the united kingdom. Her name was ruth ellis, and she was sentenced to death for murdering her abusive lover. The case attracted attention all over the country, with many people writing to the government to try and stop the hanging. It didn't work, but two weeks later he would conduct his last execution. And after this, after a career executing up to 600 prisoners, pierpoint retired. He wrote an autobiography which revealed that he did not believe capital punishment worked as a deterrent. Shortly after retirement, capital punishment was made illegal in the uk.
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