Pierrepoint (33 page)

On the night of Friday, 10 July 1992, Albert Pierrepoint died peacefully in his sleep at the nursing home where he had lived for the last four years of his life. He was 87 years old. His death brought an end to the Pierrepoint dynasty. Over the span of 55 years, his father, uncle and Albert had hanged over eight hundred and thirty people between them, in eight countries.

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Postscript

Following Albert’s retirement, Harry Allen and close friend Robert Leslie ‘Jock’ Stewart were promoted to chief executioners. The intention was that there would be no longer be a ‘number one’ hangman and that jobs would be shared between the two. Harry Allen had been the first to gain promotion, having replaced Steve Wade, who was pensioned off in October 1955, and, as such, claimed seniority. Jock Stewart was promoted following Albert’s resignation, and between them they carried out 35 executions in the period 1957–64. On 13 August 1964, both were in action, hanging two young Preston dairymen for a brutal
murder during the course of a theft. Harry Allen was on duty at Manchester, while Jock Stewart officiated at Liverpool.

The dairymen were the last two men to be hanged for murder in Great Britain. Capital punishment was suspended the following year and finally abolished in 1969.

The priest, meeting the condemned at the door of his cell, shall walk before him to the place of execution, and shall say

I am the resurrection, and the life, saith the Lord; he that believeth in me, though he were, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

I know that my Redeemer liveth, and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall for myself, and mine eyes shall behold and not another.

At the place of execution he shall stand facing the condemned prisoner, and shall say

Remember not, Lord, the offences of this Thy servant, and be not angry with him for ever.

By Thine agony and bloody sweat, by Thy cross and passion, By Thy precious death and burial, by Thy glorious resurrection and ascension, good Lord, deliver Thy servant.

In the hour or pain and anguish; in the hour of darkness and death; in the day of judgement, good Lord, Deliver Thy servant.

O Lord God, let the prayer of the prisoner appointed to die come before Thee.

O Lord, Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon him and receive his soul.

When the drop falls the Priest shall say

Into Thy hands, O Lord we commend the spirit of this Thy servant.

O Lord, we beseech Thee, mercifully hear our prayers, and spare all who confess their sins unto Thee; that they whose consciences by sin are accused, by Thy merciful pardon may be absolved; through Christ our Lord.

Amen

List of Executed Persons: Henry Pierrepoint: 105