Syd Dernley
Encyclopedia
Syd Dernley was dubbed, as also has been Albert Pierrepoint
, "the last British hangman", although in fact he was not (this title belongs jointly to Harry Allen and Robert Leslie Stewart
). More accurately, he was the last surviving hangman, following the deaths of both Pierrepoint
and Allen
in 1992. He was a welder by trade, but was appointed assistant executioner by the Home Office
in 1949, and participated in 20 hangings until he was replaced in 1954. Execution by hanging continued in Britain until 1964.
In 1950 he assisted Albert Pierrepoint
in the hanging of Timothy Evans
for the murder of his family, although Evans was pardoned posthumously in 1966 when it was discovered John Reginald Halliday Christie
was probably the killer, as Christie's murders all carried a similar modus operandi
to the deaths of Evans' family.
On 8 May 1951, Pierrepoint and Dernley escorted convicted murderer James Inglis
to the gallows immediately adjacent, and hanged him without delay — the fastest hanging on record, taking only seven seconds from the time he was removed from his cell until his fatal 'long drop'.
On 27 April 1954, Dernley was removed from the Home Office list of Official List of Assistant Executioners. Dernley claimed that no reason was given for his removal but he suspected it was because of a crude comment he had made about the size of the penis of a hanged man after an execution in London in 1953.. Pierrepoint
had alluded to such an incident (without mentioning Dernley by name) in his own autobiography but the real reason for Dernley's dismissal was undoubtedly because he had been convicted of publishing obscene material, and sent to prison for six months at the Nottinghamshire Quarter Sessions
, along with being fined £50 and charged £25 costs.
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...
, "the last British hangman", although in fact he was not (this title belongs jointly to Harry Allen and Robert Leslie Stewart
Robert Leslie Stewart
Robert Leslie Stewart , from Edinburgh, Scotland, also known as Jock Stewart, was one of the last executioners in the United Kingdom, officiating between 1950 and 1964....
). More accurately, he was the last surviving hangman, following the deaths of both Pierrepoint
Pierrepoint
Pierrepoint may refer to:* Albert Pierrepoint, a British executioner* Pierrepoint , a British film about Albert Pierrepoint...
and Allen
Allen
Allen is a Scottish name and surname which means "handsome". Variant spellings include Alan, Allan, etc. The noble family of this surname, from which a branch went to Portugal, is descended of one Alanus de Buckenhall.Allen may refer to:-Taxonomy:...
in 1992. He was a welder by trade, but was appointed assistant executioner by 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,...
in 1949, and participated in 20 hangings until he was replaced in 1954. Execution by hanging continued in Britain until 1964.
In 1950 he assisted Albert Pierrepoint
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...
in the hanging of Timothy Evans
Timothy Evans
Timothy John Evans was a Welshman accused of murdering his wife and daughter at their residence in Notting Hill, London in November 1949. In January 1950 Evans was tried and convicted of the murder of his daughter, and he was sentenced to death by hanging...
for the murder of his family, although Evans was pardoned posthumously in 1966 when it was discovered John Reginald Halliday Christie
John Reginald Halliday Christie
John Reginald Halliday Christie , born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, was a notorious English serial killer active in the 1940s and '50s. He murdered at least eight females – including his wife Ethel – by strangling them in his flat at 10 Rillington Place, Notting Hill, London...
was probably the killer, as Christie's murders all carried a similar modus operandi
Modus operandi
Modus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
to the deaths of Evans' family.
On 8 May 1951, Pierrepoint and Dernley escorted convicted murderer James Inglis
James Inglis
James Inglis was a British man executed for murder at the age of 29.Having confessed to strangling Alice Morgan, a 50-year-old prostitute in Kingston upon Hull on 1 February 1951 after a quarrel over payment, Inglis opted to plead insanity at his trial...
to the gallows immediately adjacent, and hanged him without delay — the fastest hanging on record, taking only seven seconds from the time he was removed from his cell until his fatal 'long drop'.
On 27 April 1954, Dernley was removed from the Home Office list of Official List of Assistant Executioners. Dernley claimed that no reason was given for his removal but he suspected it was because of a crude comment he had made about the size of the penis of a hanged man after an execution in London in 1953.. Pierrepoint
Pierrepoint
Pierrepoint may refer to:* Albert Pierrepoint, a British executioner* Pierrepoint , a British film about Albert Pierrepoint...
had alluded to such an incident (without mentioning Dernley by name) in his own autobiography but the real reason for Dernley's dismissal was undoubtedly because he had been convicted of publishing obscene material, and sent to prison for six months at the Nottinghamshire Quarter Sessions
Quarter Sessions
The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the United Kingdom and other countries in the former British Empire...
, along with being fined £50 and charged £25 costs.