John 'Babbacombe' Lee
Encyclopedia
John Henry George Lee better known as John "Babbacombe" Lee or "The Man They Couldn't Hang", was a British
man famous for surviving three attempts to hang him
for murder
.
Lee was born in Abbotskerswell
, Devon
, served in the Royal Navy
, and was a known thief. In 1885, he was convicted of the brutal murder of his employer, Emma Keyse, at her home at Babbacombe Bay
near Torquay
on 15 November 1884. The evidence was weak and circumstantial, amounting to little more than Lee having been the only male in the house at the time of the murder, his previous criminal record, and being found with an unexplained cut on his arm. Despite this and his constant claim of innocence, he was sentenced to hang.
. All ended in failure, as the trapdoor
of the scaffold failed to open despite being carefully tested by the executioner, James Berry
, beforehand. As a result, Home Secretary Sir William Harcourt
commuted the sentence to life imprisonment. Lee continued to petition successive Home Secretaries and was finally released in 1907. The only other man in history known to have survived three hanging attempts was Joseph Samuel
.
Many theories have been advanced as to the cause of the failure, but Home Office papers show that the official report stated incorrect assembly of the gallows mechanism allowed the trapdoor hinges to rest upon an eighth of an inch of drawbar, preventing them from opening when the doors were weighted. This incident helped to lead to a standard gallows design to prevent a reoccurrence.
sometime during World War II
. However, one recent piece of research concludes that he died in the United States under the name of "James Lee" in 1945. According to the book The Man They Could Not Hang
by Mike Holgate and Ian David Waugh, Lee's gravestone was found at Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee.
), a folk opera and a teleplay.
, fiddle
-player in the English
folk-rock band Fairport Convention
, came across a series of old newspaper articles about Lee and was inspired to compose the folk rock opera
Babbacombe Lee
, which was recorded and released by Fairport Convention as an LP in 1971.
Folk song collector Gwilym Davies was given a notebook in 1971 by a Mrs. Hunt, of Greywell
in Hampshire
, in which the words of a poem, The Death of John Lee, were written. The words, with a composed tune, were published in 1972 by Davies in A Hampshire Garland.
Folk singer Colin Andrews used Mrs Hunt's words as the basis for a reworked song, with a new tune. The song is featured on Colin's album, 'Gleanings'.
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...
man famous for surviving three attempts to hang him
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
for murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
.
Lee was born in Abbotskerswell
Abbotskerswell
Abbotskerswell is a village and civil parish in the English county of Devon. The village is in the north part of the parish and is located two miles south of the town of Newton Abbot, from the seaside resort of Torquay and from the city of Plymouth...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, served in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, and was a known thief. In 1885, he was convicted of the brutal murder of his employer, Emma Keyse, at her home at Babbacombe Bay
Babbacombe Bay
Babbacombe Bay is a shallow, wide, north-south indentation into the south coast of Devon, England, in the United Kingdom, opening eastward into the English Channel and about four to five statute miles across its mouth...
near Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
on 15 November 1884. The evidence was weak and circumstantial, amounting to little more than Lee having been the only male in the house at the time of the murder, his previous criminal record, and being found with an unexplained cut on his arm. Despite this and his constant claim of innocence, he was sentenced to hang.
Execution and aftermath
On 23 February 1885, three attempts were made to carry out his execution at Exeter PrisonExeter (HM Prison)
HM Prison Exeter is a local men's prison, located in Exeter in the county of Devon, England. The term 'local' means that this prison holds people on remand to the local courts. Exeter Prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
. All ended in failure, as the trapdoor
Trapdoor
A trapdoor is a door set into a floor or ceiling .Originally, trapdoors were sack traps in mills, and allowed the sacks to pass up through the mill while naturally falling back to a closed position....
of the scaffold failed to open despite being carefully tested by the executioner, James Berry
James Berry (hangman)
James Berry was an English executioner from 1884 until 1891. Berry was born in Heckmondwike in Yorkshire, where his father worked as a wool-stapler. His most important contribution to the science of hanging was his refinement of the long drop method developed by William Marwood, whom Berry knew...
, beforehand. As a result, Home Secretary Sir William Harcourt
William Vernon Harcourt (politician)
Sir William George Granville Venables Vernon Harcourt was a British lawyer, journalist and Liberal statesman. He served as Member of Parliament for various constituencies and held the offices of Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer under William Ewart Gladstone before becoming Leader of...
commuted the sentence to life imprisonment. Lee continued to petition successive Home Secretaries and was finally released in 1907. The only other man in history known to have survived three hanging attempts was Joseph Samuel
Joseph Samuel
Joseph Samuel was an Englishman legendary for the manner in which he survived execution. Convicted for robbery in 1795, he was sentenced in 1801 to transportation to Australia, aboard the Nile, Canada and Minorca. Australia at this time held a penal settlement at Sydney Cove...
.
Many theories have been advanced as to the cause of the failure, but Home Office papers show that the official report stated incorrect assembly of the gallows mechanism allowed the trapdoor hinges to rest upon an eighth of an inch of drawbar, preventing them from opening when the doors were weighted. This incident helped to lead to a standard gallows design to prevent a reoccurrence.
Later years and identifications
After his release, Lee seems to have exploited his notoriety, supporting himself through lecturing on his life, even becoming the subject of a silent film. Accounts of his whereabouts after 1916 are somewhat confused, and one researcher even speculated that in later years, there was more than one man claiming to be Lee. It was suspected that he died in the Tavistock workhouseWorkhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
sometime during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. However, one recent piece of research concludes that he died in the United States under the name of "James Lee" in 1945. According to the book The Man They Could Not Hang
The Man They Could Not Hang (book)
The Man They Could Not Hang is a 2005 non-fiction book about the life story of John 'Babbacombe' Lee, the butler who was convicted of the murder of Emma Keyse, his elderly employer...
by Mike Holgate and Ian David Waugh, Lee's gravestone was found at Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee.
Portrayals
The tale of Lee has inspired play, film (The Life Story of John Lee, or The Man They Could Not HangThe Life Story of John Lee, or The Man They Could Not Hang (1912 film)
The Life Story of John Lee, or the Man They Could Not Hang is a 1911 Australian silent film based on a stage play about the true life story of John Babbacombe Lee.-Reception:...
), a folk opera and a teleplay.
Babbacombe Lee the folk opera
Dave SwarbrickDave Swarbrick
Dave Swarbrick is an English folk musician and singer-songwriter. He has been described by Ashley Hutchings as 'the most influential [British] fiddle player bar none' and his style has been copied or developed by almost every British, and many World folk violin players that have followed him...
, fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
-player in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
folk-rock band Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
, came across a series of old newspaper articles about Lee and was inspired to compose the folk rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
Babbacombe Lee
Babbacombe Lee (album)
Babbacombe Lee is the seventh album by English folk rock group Fairport Convention, and was released in 1971. It tells the life story of John "Babbacombe" Lee, a Victorian-era murderer who, although condemned to death, was reprieved after the gallows failed on three occasions to work properly...
, which was recorded and released by Fairport Convention as an LP in 1971.
Folk song collector Gwilym Davies was given a notebook in 1971 by a Mrs. Hunt, of Greywell
Greywell
Greywell is a small village and civil parish in Hampshire, England.Greywell village is a past winner of the Best Kept Village in Hampshire competition and a recent winner of Best Small Village in Hampshire. The Basingstoke Canal runs underneath part of the village through the 1.1 km long...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, in which the words of a poem, The Death of John Lee, were written. The words, with a composed tune, were published in 1972 by Davies in A Hampshire Garland.
Folk singer Colin Andrews used Mrs Hunt's words as the basis for a reworked song, with a new tune. The song is featured on Colin's album, 'Gleanings'.