HANGMAN - EXECUTIONER ALBERT PIERREPOINT
The Pierepoint Family of Hangmen-Executioners.

Both Albert Pierepoint's father, Henry Albert Pierrepoint, and his uncle, Thomas William Pierrepoint were Executioners. Henry took part in Executions between 19 November 1901 and 14 July 1910. Thomas between 1909 and 1946.

Thomas Pierrepoint was the Executioner for the Republic of Ireland.
Henry Pierepoint died prematurely on 14 December 1922, when Albert Pierepoint was 17.

Albert had a very close relationship with his Uncle Thomas, who had no sons. All Albert Pierepoint's summer holidays as a youth, before he left school, were spent with his his Uncle Tom and Aunt Elizabeth.

A small collection of Archive material relating to both Henry and Thomas Pierrepoint are offered for sale within this historically unique family archive.
Albert Pierrepoint was born on 30 March 1905, to Henry and Mary Pierrepoint.

Albert Pierepoint was present at 433 Executions, 383 as Executioner
and 50 as Assistant Executioner, assisting his uncle, Thomas Pierrepoint, in 46 Executions.

He was Assistant Executioner to Stanley Cross 3 times and once to Thomas Philips.

Uniquely, Albert Pierepoint Hanged-Executed in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern & Southern Ireland, Egypt, Gibraltar, Germany and Austria.
On 21 April 1931, the Prison Commissioners, in reply to a letter from Albert Pierepoint of the 19th, informed him that a note had been made of his application, but it was not proposed at present to add to the list of persons already qualified to assist at executions. His application was accepted in June 1931 & he was selected to act as 2nd Assistant Executioner in November 1932, in the case of Thomas Howard at H. M. Prison Durham. Thomas Howard was respited, so Albert Pierepoint's services were not required.

He first acted as Assistant Executioner in Dublin Eire in 1932; then in England on the 2nd February 1933, assisting his Uncle Tom Pierepoint in the Execution of Jeremiah Hanbury at Winson Green Prison, Birmingham
Albert Pierepoint's first acted as chief Executioner in the case of Antonio Mancini on October 31 1941 at Pentonville Prison.

Before and during the War Albert Pierepoint as well as British Subjects including (6) Women he also Hung-Executed Members of the IRA, several Wartime Nazi Spies and Traitors as well as at the end of the War Hanging two world famous Traitors for High Treason

LORD HAW-HAW
and
JOHN AMERY.

*Albert Pierrepoint's most famous War Criminal Executions were the (11) BELSEN WAR CRIMINALS
(8 men, 3 women):
SS Hauptsturmführer Josef Kramer (The Beast of Belsen) - Belsen's Commandant (NSDAP); SS Oberaufseherin Elisabeth Volkenrath (26)
(known as the most hated woman in the camp) SS Oberaufseherin Irma Grese - Warden of the women's section of Belsen (22) [Albert has her age as 21 in log book] (known as "The Beautiful Beast" & "The Hyena of Auschwitz"); SS Aufseherin Juana Bormann (52) (known as "The woman with the dogs"); SS Hauptsturmführer Dr Fritz Klein - Camp Doctor (NSDAP); SS Rottenführer Karl Flrazich [Franzioh] - Kitchen Commander; SS Hauptscharführer Peter Weingartner (Yugoslavian) Weingather]; Ansgar Pinchen (Danish) - Kitchen Commander; SS Obersturmführer Franz Hössler (- Deputy Camp Commandant; SS Hauptscharführer Franz Starfl; and SS Rottenführer Wilhelm Dorr. Plus 2 War criminals; SS Obfl Georg Sandrock & Ludwig Schweinberger (Shot POW RAF Pilot Officer).
ALL (13) WERE EXECUTED BY ALBERT PIEREPOINT ON THE 13th DECEMBER, AT HAMLIN PRISON 1945
A RECORD (13) HANGINGS IN ONE DAY !

**Although between 1945 and 1949 he finally Hung over 200 Nazi War Criminals .

Albert Pierpoint became famous worldwide with many articles in the national and International Press regarding his unique record of Hanging so many infamous criminals, including several Women, Wartime Traitors, Spies and Nazi War Criminals.

Sadistic pychopath Sex Murderer of women; Neville George Cleveley Heath

The infamous included the Acid Bath & Vampire Murderer, John Haigh

Sex Murders of women by strangler Necrophile John Reginald Halliday Christie

Christie's neighbour Timothy Evans, innocent of Murdering his Baby girl;
his wife & baby were actually a victims of Christie.

The controversial Hanging of young Derek Bentley

The controversial last hanging of a young woman; Ruth Ellis.

**Albert carried out the last execution to take place in the Republic of Ireland. Hanging of Michael Manning taking place on 20 April 1954 at Mountjoy Prison, Dublin.

***Albert Pierrepoint carried out his last Execution on 27 July 1955, at
Liverpool. when he hung Norman William Green.

****Albert Pierrepoint resigned in February 1956, following a disagreement on fee payed to him for his attendance at Strangeways Prison, Manchester concerning a case in which a reprieve was granted. He was extremely dissatisfied with the payment, which he felt was quite below what he felt entitled to expect. He returned the cheque and wrote to the Prison Commissioners, asking them to accept the letter as his official letter of resignation as Executioner and requested the removal of his name from the list of executioners forthwith.

*FOR SALE DVD. Albert Pierrepoint interviews in which he mentions key personalities.

Albert Pierepoint's unique archive of official Documents, letters and photographs were sold together with full copyright to the late Michael Ralph Forman Esq., ; inherited by his son Adrian Forman; thus inspiring a series of books to be published in 2021-2022.


ASSISTANT EXECUTIONER-HANGMAN SYD DERNLEY (1920 -1994)

Syd Dernley was one of several Post War Assistant Executioners that worked with Albert. Being one of Pierrepoint's favourites; as got on well when working as a team.

Syd Dernley was born on 29th December 1920. As a boy Syd loved Edgar Wallace's crime stories and decided, aged 11, that he wanted to be a Hangman.

His name was added to the Home Office Official List of Assistant Executioners in February 1949.

He was appointed to act as Assistant Executioner-Hangman at approximately 39 executions, 31 with Albert Pierrepoint. Of these 39 executions, 21 were reprieved. Dernley assisted at 18 executions, 16 with Albert Pierepoint including Dernley's first Hanging as a trainee on 29th March 1949 at the Execution of James Farrell, the Holybush Murderer, at Winson Green Prison, Birmingham to witness an Execution as part of his training.

*FOR SALE DVD of interviews with Hangman Albert Pierrepoint & Syd Dernley

Syd Dernley's first appointment as an Assistant Executioner was to Albert Pierrepoint at the Execution of Timothy John Evans; (Neighbour to Murderer John Christie) on 9th March 1950 at Pentonville Prison.

Evans was granted a postumous pardon in 1966, as it was discovered Christie murdered Evans wife and child).

Dernley went on to assist at a further 16 executions between 1950 and 1952.

**He was Assistant executioner to Albert in the fastest British hanging on record, taking just 7 seconds from Cell to trap door, for James Inglis on 8th May 1951 at Manchester.

The last Hanging that Syd Dernley assisted at was that of Leslie Green on 23rd December 1952 at Birmingham, with Albert Pierrepoint as Executioner.

The remainder of the Hangings that Dernley was appointed to act as Assistant at ; were reprieved.

His name was removed from the Home Office Official List of Assistant Executioners on 27th April 1954.

Several uniquely historic official Documents and letters plus relics relating to Syd Dernley's profession as an Assistant Executioner-Hangman are offered for sale within this important historical Archive. SYD DERNLEY sold his archive with full copyright to the late Michael Ralf Forman, Esq.,
prior to his death; since inherited by his son, Adrian Forman.

Book: These uniquely important official Documents & letters will be published in 2021

Syd Dernley passed away on the 1st November 1994, aged 73.


ASSISTANT EXECUTIONER-HANGMAN HARRY ROBINSON (1915 – 2006).

Harry Robinson was an Assistant Executioner 1958-1964, and Assisted in approx 7 Executions.

He assisted Robert Leslie (Jock) Stewart 4 times, and Harry B Allen 3 times.
Robinson graduated from training as an Assistant Executioner in 1956.

There were no Executions in 1956, all cases ended in reprieves while Parliament debated and planned the new Homicide Act, so Robinson's first visit to a prison on official business was to observe at the Execution of Dennis Howard on 4th December 1957 at Birmingham.

*Harry Robinson's first Execution as Assistant was to Robert Leslie (Jock) Stewart at Swansea, 6th May 1958, that of Vivian Teed.

**Teed was the last person to be hanged at Swansea Prison.

***Harry Robinson assisted at one of the last two Hanging-Executions to take place in the UK, simultaneously, on the 13th August 1964.

Robinson assisted Robert Leslie (Jock) Stewart at the Execution of Peter Anthony Allen at Liverpool.

2nd simultaneous Execution by Harry B Allen assisted by Royston Rickard in the Hanging of Gwynne Owen Evans at Manchester.

Harry Robinson passed away in 2006, aged 91.

*FOR SALE DVD of interviews with Hangman Executionr Albert Pierrepoint & Assistant Hangman Harry Robinson.

Several uniquely historic handful of official Documents and letters plus relics relating to Robinson's profession as an Assistant Executioner-Hangman are offered for sale within this important historical Archive.

HARRY ROBINSON sold his handful of archive material some years before he died; with full copyright to the late Michael Ralf Forman, Esq., this material was inherited by his son, Adrian Forman.