Henry Pierrepoint
Encyclopedia
Henry Albert Pierrepoint (1878–1922) was one of the United Kingdom
's executioner
s from 1901 until 1910. He was the father of Albert
and brother of Thomas
.
Pierrepoint was born in Normanton on Soar
, Nottinghamshire
, the fourth child and second son of Thomas and Mary Pierrepoint. By 1891, he and his family had moved to Clayton
, near Bradford
, where he was employed in a worsted mill. Henry wasn't happy working at the mill, and so in 1893 his father arranged an apprenticeship
for him at a large butcher
s in Bradford. Three years later he left the apprenticeship and moved to Manchester
where his sister Mary was one of the managers at a cabinet making
firm. Not long after this he met a local girl, Mary Buxton, and toward the end of 1898 they were married at St Anne's Church in Newton Heath
, Manchester
.
In 1901, Henry was appointed to the list of executioners after repeatedly writing to the Home Office
to offer his services. He participated in his first hanging on 19 November, as an assistant to James Billington
. Over the next few years, he worked primarily as an assistant to William
and John Billington
before becoming the principal executioner of Britain in 1905. In 1906, he carried out all eight hangings in the country.
Pierrepoint later persuaded his elder brother Thomas
to join the family business and influenced his son Albert
to do the same. In his nine-year term of office Henry carried out 105 executions. His career was finished when he arrived the day before an execution at Chelmsford Prison
"considerably the worse for drink", and fought his assistant John Ellis
. Ellis reported the incident to the Home Office which decided, after receiving confirmation by the warders' account of the matter, to strike Henry from the list of approved executioners.
Henry was never officially "dismissed", but he was removed from the list of executioners and invitations to conduct executions ceased to arrive.
Henry had been suffering from a terminal illness for several years and died on 14 December 1922, aged 44, although he was incorrectly registered as 48.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's executioner
Executioner
A judicial executioner is a person who carries out a death sentence ordered by the state or other legal authority, which was known in feudal terminology as high justice.-Scope and job:...
s from 1901 until 1910. He was the father of Albert
Albert Pierrepoint
Albert Pierrepoint is the most famous member of the family which provided three of the United Kingdom's official hangmen in the first half of the 20th century...
and brother of Thomas
Thomas Pierrepoint
Thomas William Pierrepoint was one of the United Kingdom's executioners from 1906 until 1946. He was the brother of Henry and uncle of Albert....
.
Pierrepoint was born in Normanton on Soar
Normanton on Soar
Normanton on Soar is a village and civil parish in the south of Nottinghamshire in England near the River Soar.Nearby villages include Zouch, Sutton Bonington and Stanford on Soar....
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, the fourth child and second son of Thomas and Mary Pierrepoint. By 1891, he and his family had moved to Clayton
Clayton, West Yorkshire
Clayton is a civil parish in the City of Bradford metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England, situated 3 miles to the west of the city centre. It is listed in the Domesday Book, meaning it dates back to at least the 11th century and was privately owned from 1160 to 1866. It was noted for its...
, near Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, where he was employed in a worsted mill. Henry wasn't happy working at the mill, and so in 1893 his father arranged an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
for him at a large butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
s in Bradford. Three years later he left the apprenticeship and moved to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
where his sister Mary was one of the managers at a cabinet making
Cabinet making
Cabinet making is the practice of using various woodworking skills to create cabinets, shelving and furniture.Cabinet making involves techniques such as creating appropriate joints, dados, bevels, chamfers and shelving systems, the use of finishing tools such as routers to create decorative...
firm. Not long after this he met a local girl, Mary Buxton, and toward the end of 1898 they were married at St Anne's Church in Newton Heath
Newton Heath
Newton Heath is an urban area of the city of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It is east north east of Manchester city centre and has a population of 9,883....
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
In 1901, Henry was appointed to the list of executioners after repeatedly writing to the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
to offer his services. He participated in his first hanging on 19 November, as an assistant to James Billington
James Billington (hangman)
James Billington was a hangman for the British government from 1884 until 1901.Born in Preston, in 1859 he moved with his family to Farnworth, northwest of Manchester. After leaving school he worked in a cotton mill for a time, but by the early 1880s he had become a Sunday school teacher and was...
. Over the next few years, he worked primarily as an assistant to William
William Billington
William Billington was an English executioner. He was on the Home Office list from 1902 to 1905 and had participated in hangings starting in 1899.-Career:...
and John Billington
John Billington (hangman)
John Billington was an English executioner. He was on the Home Office list from 1901 to 1905.-Career:Billington came from a family of hangmen. His father, James, was a hangman from 1884 to 1901, and his two older brothers, Thomas and William, were also hangmen.In early 1902, at the age of 21, John...
before becoming the principal executioner of Britain in 1905. In 1906, he carried out all eight hangings in the country.
Pierrepoint later persuaded his elder brother Thomas
Thomas Pierrepoint
Thomas William Pierrepoint was one of the United Kingdom's executioners from 1906 until 1946. He was the brother of Henry and uncle of Albert....
to join the family business and influenced his son Albert
Albert Pierrepoint
Albert Pierrepoint is the most famous member of the family which provided three of the United Kingdom's official hangmen in the first half of the 20th century...
to do the same. In his nine-year term of office Henry carried out 105 executions. His career was finished when he arrived the day before an execution at Chelmsford Prison
Chelmsford (HM Prison)
HM Prison Chelmsford is a Category B men's prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in Chelmsford, Essex, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
"considerably the worse for drink", and fought his assistant John Ellis
John Ellis (executioner)
John Ellis was a Rochdale hairdresser and newsagent who served as one of the United Kingdom's executioners for 23 years, from 1901 to 1924....
. Ellis reported the incident to the Home Office which decided, after receiving confirmation by the warders' account of the matter, to strike Henry from the list of approved executioners.
Henry was never officially "dismissed", but he was removed from the list of executioners and invitations to conduct executions ceased to arrive.
Henry had been suffering from a terminal illness for several years and died on 14 December 1922, aged 44, although he was incorrectly registered as 48.