Syd Dernley
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Syd Dernley (Born 29 December 1920 died 1 November 1994) was dubbed "the last British hangman". 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.
In 1950 he assisted in the hanging of Timothy Evans for the murder of his family, though Evans was pardoned posthumously in 1966 when it was discovered John Reginald Halliday Christie had in fact been the killer.
On May 8, 1951, Albert Pierrepoint and Syd Dernley escorted James Inglis from his cell to the gallows immediately outside 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 drop.
On 27 April 1954, Dernley was removed from the Home Office list of Official List of Assistant Executioners having 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. Dernley claims no reason was given for his removal but he suspected it was because of a crude comment he'd made about the body of a hanged man after an execution in London late in 1953.
[edit] References
- Dernley & Newman, The Hangman's Tale: Memoirs of a Public Executioner, Trans-Atlantic Pubns, 1990 ISBN 0-330-31633-8
- Dernley's Sacking: "Obscene Books And Photographs: Assistant Hangman Sent To Prison" (The Times Wednesday, Apr 28, 1954; pg. 5; Issue 52917; col B)
- Interview with Dernley
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