Peirrepoint

maxwell silver · 27-08-2008, 17:34

Watched this the other night about Britains famous/infamous hangman.A bloke who took great pride in his work & was as cold & calculated in despatching those found guilty(rightly or wrongly) as the murderers themselves.Never took his work home & was somewhat affronted when his identity became public after the Nazi war trials,where he executioned up to 13 war criminals a day(1 or 2 was the norm).The only emotion he showed was when he had to hang an old friend of his(personally i'd have called in sick).Anyway (& i realise this is considered by some to be rather light hearted on such a serious subject,but someone had to do it)Was he a ruthless killer like his victims? Heaven or hell for Albert?

banjoman · 27-08-2008, 17:41

Heaven. He didnt convict or try the people, he just performed a public service. At the time, the death penalty was acceptable and he was an instrument of the court.If 12 people find someone guilty then why should he question it ?

Bonnyboy · 27-08-2008, 17:46

I started out with the intention of watching this but as the night progressed I thought “Nahhhh, it’s a bit morbid” It sounded interesting, it sounds interesting now. Guess it will get another showing, I will watch it then.

As for Heaven or Hell, I believe in neither. Which direction do you think he went in ?

steeljack · 27-08-2008, 17:50

Heaven , maybe a question for the 'older' Accy webers .......when did Peirrepoint become famous ? Was he 'famous' while he was still hanging folk , or did the fame come after he retired and the death penalty stopped .

cashman · 27-08-2008, 17:56

Heaven, missed it apart from last 30 mins cos forgot it was on, think he became "Well Known" in later years steeljack, more after he resigned, wouldn't put money on,but its how i remember.

steeljack · 27-08-2008, 18:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

think he became "Well Known" in later years steeljack, more after he resigned, wouldn't put money on,but its how i remember.

Thats whats got me a bit confused , seem to remember going on trips to Southport when I was a kid and when the coach passed a pub on the other side of Preston it was allways pointed out as the place where the 'hangman' lived , this would be mid 50s , and i'm thinking he was still working then

booth76 · 27-08-2008, 18:09

My great grandma used to know him. According to my Grandma she said he was a very nice chap to know despite his grim profession. He was very concerned with making sure those that were executed were done so with a minimum of fuss, unlike other executioners.

I enjoyed the dramatization.

West Ender · 27-08-2008, 18:53

I thought the play was very good but Timothy Spall made Pierrepoint a lot more "dramatic" than he really was. He treated the job as just that - a job - and, by all accounts I've read about him, he was quite a cheerful sort of bloke. As far as I know the story of him hanging a friend was made up. It never happened.

I first heard of him around the time of the Bentley and Ellis hangings, when I was 10 or 11, so about 1953/54. I remember my dad telling me he had a pub in Preston and I think there were a few articles in the Press about him.

No, he wasn't a ruthless killer. He did a job that few people would or could do and he did it as humanely as possible.

Eric · 27-08-2008, 18:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by West Ender

I thought the play was very good but Timothy Spall made Pierrepoint a lot more "dramatic" than he really was. He treated the job as just that - a job - and, by all accounts I've read about him, he was quite a cheerful sort of bloke. As far as I know the story of him hanging a friend was made up. It never happened.

I first heard of him around the time of the Bentley and Ellis hangings, when I was 10 or 11, so about 1953/54. I remember my dad telling me he had a pub in Preston and I think there were a few articles in the Press about him.

No, he wasn't a ruthless killer. He did a job that few people would or could do and he did it as humanely as possible.

I was going to ask about the "pub" thing .... I remember my grandad telling me he had a pub .... wonder what he called it? The "Drop Inn" would have been a good name

cashman · 27-08-2008, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by steeljack

Thats whats got me a bit confused , seem to remember going on trips to Southport when I was a kid and when the coach passed a pub on the other side of Preston it was allways pointed out as the place where the 'hangman' lived , this would be mid 50s , and i'm thinking he was still working then

think he topped his last one in 55, aint certain but thats what i reckon.

West Ender · 27-08-2008, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric

I was going to ask about the "pub" thing .... I remember my grandad telling me he had a pub .... wonder what he called it? The "Drop Inn" would have been a good name

I just Googled it. Apparently the pub in Preston was the "Rose and Crown" but (it says) the pub he had before that, in Oldham, was called the "Help The Poor Struggler".

maxwell silver · 27-08-2008, 19:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

think he topped his last one in 55, aint certain but thats what i reckon.

When was Ruth Ellis hung? That caused an uproar.

mrskitty · 27-08-2008, 19:08

I watched it too-was good and made you realise what soem people go through because of their job.Very sad when he got bullied though

I say Heaven.

steeljack · 27-08-2008, 19:08

now the brain cells are kicking in (still morning here) I think the pub on the Southport Rd. was near the Lancashire Constabulary (sp?) H.Q. at Hutton ? maybe for security/personal safety reasons

West Ender · 27-08-2008, 19:10

I just checked on the "hanging a friend" story too. He did hang a man who had been a regular in his Oldham pub. He knew him well but they were not great friends and Pierrepoint didn't have any qualms about the execution.