John Ellis (4 October 1874–20 September 1932) was a British executioner for 23 years, from 1901-1924. Born in Balderstone,Rochdale, he first worked in a series of jobs as a casual labourer in and around Manchester before gaining a job at a spinning mill in Bury.However, he injured his spine.After another stint in a factory he decided to follow his father's trade by becoming a barber and hairdresser in Rochdale, where he subsequently also opened a newsagent's shop, which he ran with his wife and children.He then applied to the Home Office to become an executioner and was invited to attend training at Newgate Prison. He first participated in an execution in Newcastle in December 1901, as assistant to William Billington. Ellis served as Chief Executioner from 1907 and was involved in a total of 203 executions.Among the executions he performed were those of Hawley Harvey Crippen (known as Dr. Crippen) in 1910, Frederick Seddon in 1912, George Joseph Smith in 1915, Sir Roger Casement in 1916, Herbert Rowse Armstrong in 1922, and Edith Thompson in 1923. The ordeal of executing Edith Thompson in 1923 had a profound effect on Ellis. Thompson had collapsed in terror at the prospect of her hanging and, unconscious, had to be supported on the gallows by four prison warders.Ellis resigned from his post in March 1924.Whether this was due to his experiences at the Thompson hanging is open to dispute, especially since he performed 11 more executions (among which included another woman) before he withdrew. Nonetheless, he was haunted and troubled.Ellis took to drinking heavily, and attempted suicide in 1924 by shooting himself in the jaw.Suicide was at that time a criminal offence, and Ellis was charged and bound over for 12 months at Rochdale Magistrates Court.However, in September 1932, after another bout of heavy drinking, Ellis died by suicide, cutting his throat with a razor.His relations to his fellow executioners were strained.Pierrepoint brothers, Henry and Thomas disliked him.John's book Diary of a Hangman provides insights into his behaviour, way of thinking,the methods he employed and recalls the final moments of some of those he executed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Fascinating book put together from diaries and historical accounts. I love the insight given on Ellis’ life and what he did as a job. Rather fascinating book if you’re interested in more morbid subject matter, which I am.

The personal diary of the UK's hangman between 1901 and 1924 gives a very interesting insight into how he started his 'work, his career and what appears to have brought about and contributed to his early death after his retirement. Recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for this arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This was a rather unique nonfiction book I couldn't wait to get my hands on. As morbid as it may be I've always been fascinated by the legal killings and torturing of the long forgotten past. This book puts together direct accounts from Ellis' diary. He was an executioner. Fascinating, intriguing, compelling.

This is a book of extracts from the diaries and scrapbook of John Ellis, an executioner between 1901 and 1924. All executioners kept ledgers of everyone they had executed during their time, but Ellis had an additional scrapbook where he voiced his thoughts and actions. Transcribed by the author, we get to read an accurate account from the executioner of some of the most infamous murderers of the early 20th century. The book was well researched and well written by the author and we get to hear of, not only Ellis's time as executioner, but his early years and family life.

I'd heard of some of the murderers which were in Ellis's scrapbook, but some of them I'd unheard of. He writes of their crimes, sentences and execution - some in more detail than others - and this was all really interesting. There was also information about the "technical" parts of the hangings, for example how they work out the length of the drop and what happens if its too long or short. It's an unusual occupation which obviously isn't a role in the UK anymore, but thanks to his diligent record keeping we get to read about it many years later. His life as an executioner came with many life stresses, some which contributed to his early death. This was a very interesting insight which I enjoyed reading.

It's an interesting and well researched book about people who played a relevant role in the justice system but were often anonymous.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is a fascinating look into one of Britain's hangmen in the early 1900s. The book is well written and researched. I found it amusing that Ellis decided he should like to be a hangman one day, then went out and did it. I felt like there were some places that could have used elaboration and others that felt like they were out of sync. However, given that this is an ARC that may be rectified in the final version.

Overall, an extremely interesting peek at what proved to be a very interesting profession,

My thanks to Pen and Sword History and Netgalley for this ARC.

Although the subject matter is very serious, this book was horrifying and highly interesting in equal measure. A really fascinating delve into the world of one of the UK's hangman in the 1910's - 1924. I learnt more than I thought I would and never knew that there were prescribed lengths of drop needed. I now need to know what happened to John Ellis and learn more about him as he sounded like a very sensitive man.

The Hangman's Scrapbook by Neil R. Storey is one of the most riveting books I've read this year. The topic of hanging is not pleasant but the stories are told with incredible thoughtfulness and sensitivity to everyone involved from the murder victims to those who paid for their crimes with their lives. John Ellis describes his wife's and family's views on his choice of becoming a hangman.

John Ellis decided to become a hangman at a young age. He couldn't really explain why but did want to ensure the law was upheld in the most humane way possible. A hairdresser by trade, he underwent intense hangman training. His new position took him all over Britain and Ireland first as an assistant then as the senior hangman from 1901-1924. He hanged over 200 men and women, infamous and not. He made meticulous notes in his leger as others in his position did. But he went the extra mile and kept a scrapbook with details of his cases including factual crime accounts, what the prisoner's last meal and words were, how the condemned coped and acted the night before and morning of the execution and how the final seconds went. He also described his impressions and feelings and commented on the most calm hanging, the most memorable, the saddest, the most violent prisoner and the meekest and everything between. Some confessed, others maintained innocence. Ellis believed some should not have been executed but the decision was not his. He had to carry out the law.

The intelligence and mercy Ellis showed was remarkable. His goal was to minimize psychological and physical discomfort. He went out of his way to improve the process to make it easier on everyone including the warders but especially the prisoners. I really appreciate that about him. His life as a hangman was fraught with anxiety, especially one case in particular which contributed to his early death.

If you are intrigued to learn why Ellis became a hangman and the psychology behind hanging, this book is unmissable. I learned so much and can't stop thinking about its impact. This is one powerful, powerful book.

My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this phenomenal book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. My husband is from the same area in Manchester a Nd so I have been to some of the streets and areas that are mentioned within this book. I think this definitely helped as I was able to have a r ough idea of how to picture things whilst reading.

I found this book really informative and an opening into the mind of someone within this job. It was really well written. I would recommend this.

This is an absolutely astonishing account of executioner, John Ellis. I’d read a book about Pierrpoint, a later executioner, but wasn’t aware of Ellis who despatched over two hundred individuals convicted of murder in the early part of the twentieth century. What makes this book remarkable is that the author has had access to a personal scrapbook kept by Ellis in which he records details if every hanging.

Storey details how Ellis became an executioner and I’ve the years, it’s clear that this job was taking a mental toll. He was responsible for carrying out the execution of some of the most notable figures; Crippen, Haigh, Smith and Casement. Like Pierrpoint, it was the execution of a female that haunted him. There’s a comprehensive bibliography and some incredible photos of hanging chambers, subjects and Ellis. It’s a gruesome but fascinating subject and those who enjoy true crime will find this a revelation. Very well written and I’ve enjoyed this detailed insight into so many notorious crimes and criminals, along with the notes made by Ellis. Highly recommended.

The Hangman‘s Scrapbook, the life and executions of John Ellis by Neil R Storey, I like how as the book goes on to describe hangings he’s done he also intertwined his personal life from the friend he stayed with when doing certain executions out of town and all the intricate details of doing the actual hanging. I loved his proper writing style the first person narrative and everything else the book had to offer from crimes I’ve heard of to those I haven’t. I especially liked how incredulous Mr. Ellis was at the powers that be wanting him to handle Mr. Armstrong with kid gloves even after he was found guilty for the dastardly deed of killing his innocent wife. Reading his personal opinions on the hangings and other situations happening in his modern day was really a fascinating way to spend an afternoon and wish I could’ve read this book all in one setting but having said that I am just glad I got to read it this is really an interesting book and although it was written in the early 19th century it is easy to read with a fascinating subject matter.#PenAndSwordHistory, #NetGalley, #NeilRStorey, #TheHangman’sScrapbook,

Absolutely fascinating book, really captured my attention
I've always been interested in why people was executed and who hang men were etc
This book was very revealing
,

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This book was fascinating! I love learning things from the past and this was so well described and the details are crazy. It really puts you in the shoes of the Hangman and gives you an idea exactly how their lives were back then.

Neil R Storey gives a real insight into this terrible but necessary post at the time. He shows the toll that it takes in the mind of the man that has to carry out the ultimate punishment. I believe that Albert Peirrepoint suffered also having read his autobiography but not as extremely as Ellis. Before people advocate the return of it they should ask themselves would I do it, I think most of them wouldn't. Well written and researched.

This is absolutely fascinating. Accounts of historical cases leading to execution in the words of the executioner himself. Such a strange mix of deeply insightful and fairly emotional observations offered alongside clinical details of the length or “drop” required. I was intrigued by Ellis’ inability to explain what drove him to seek out, and with such determination, this career. A well presented account with useful references and photographs included,

I enjoyed this book. It is filled with hisorical facts about John Ellis.

Ellis was a hangman during the early 1900's and saw the deaths of several infamous killers.

I loved the background of Ellis, the choices he made and how he felt about being a hangman was interesting.

You may think keeping a ledger of his unusual job might be macabre but I am so glad he did. It is a fascinating read and revisiting the killers and their victims made me have a double sided view of the death sentences that Ellis carried out.

It will bring back debates and views of such a sentence, especially in todays horrific world.

This is a brilliant read I will be recommending it to my library bookclub and will enjoy other readers views.