Description
During his years as executioner between 1901 and 1924, John Ellis hanged over 200 men andwomen. Among them were some of the most infamous killers of the 20th century including DrCrippen, John Dickman ''The Railway Murderer'', George Smith ''The Brides in the Bath'' murderer,Henry Jacoby, poisoners Frederick Seddon and Major Herbert Rowse Armstrong. Ellis also hangedSir Roger Casement for treachery and carried out the execution of Edith Thompson, one of themost controversial hangings in the history of capital punishment.British executioners kept their own legers recording brief details of those they hanged, John Ellismaintained just such a leger too but he is believed to be the only British executioner to have kept anadditional scrapbook of his personal accounts of those he executed and their crimes and as such it isa unique volume in the annals of British crime and punishment.Rediscovered after being lost for decades, John Ellis'' scrapbook - its cuttings, manuscript texts, andannotati
