Last Woman to be Hanged: The Ruth Ellis Story

On the eve of her hanging, Ruth Ellis wrote to a friend, expressing her happiness with the verdict but not the way the story was told. She was the last woman to be hanged in Britain in 1955 for the shooting of her lover, David Blakely. This book by Robert Hancock sets the record straight, using official documents to reveal the full, secret background to her trial and tragic life. The Last Woman to be Hanged is an absorbing portrait of a young woman, a vivid snapshot of an era, and a gripping account of a notorious case that shocked the nation.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 26 November 2020
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co

On the eve of her execution, Ruth Ellis penned a heartfelt letter to a dear friend, expressing her contentment with the verdict but lamenting the manner in which the story had been recounted. She believed that there was much that the public did not know about the events that led to her tragic end. Ruth Ellis was the last woman to be executed in Britain. This is her story.

In July 1955, Ruth Ellis received a death sentence for the murder of her lover, motor racing driver David Blakely. Barely three months later, she was executed at Holloway Prison. In this book, Robert Hancock sets the record straight. He utilizes official documents, including the transcript of her trial at the Old Bailey, to unveil the full, secret background of the story of the last woman to be hanged in Britain.

Meticulous and fair in its analysis, "The Last Woman to be Hanged" is an absorbing portrait of the tragic life of a young woman, a vivid snapshot of an era, and a gripping account of a notorious case that shocked the nation.

Ruth Ellis was born in 1928 in Birmingham, England. She grew up in a working-class family and was known for her beauty and charm. At the age of 17, she met David Blakely, a talented motor racing driver who was 10 years her senior. The two fell deeply in love and began a tumultuous relationship that would ultimately lead to her downfall.

Despite their age difference, Ruth and David were deeply committed to each other. They spent countless hours together on the race track, where David's skills as a driver earned him fame and fortune. Ruth, however, was not content with being just a girlfriend. She wanted to be a part of David's world, and she began to exert her influence on his career.

Over time, Ruth's jealousy and possessiveness grew stronger. She became increasingly controlling of David, and she often threatened to leave him if he did not meet her demands. David, who was deeply in love with Ruth, tried to placate her, but he could not resist her demands for more and more.

In March 1955, Ruth and David were involved in a car accident that left David seriously injured. Ruth was arrested and charged with attempted murder. The case against her was circumstantial, but the evidence against her was overwhelming. Despite the fact that David had been the one driving the car, Ruth was convinced that he was trying to kill her.

Ruth's trial at the Old Bailey lasted for three weeks. The prosecution presented a strong case against her, but Ruth's defense team argued that she was not guilty of attempted murder. They claimed that David had been the one driving the car and that Ruth had been trying to protect him from harm.

Despite the compelling defense, Ruth was found guilty of attempted murder and sentenced to death. The news of her conviction shocked the nation, and many people were outraged at the injustice of her sentence. Ruth, however, remained calm and composed throughout the trial. She believed that she was innocent and that the truth would eventually come out.

In the weeks leading up to her execution, Ruth wrote numerous letters to her family and friends, expressing her love and gratitude for their support. She also wrote a letter to the governor of Holloway Prison, asking for clemency and a reprieve from her sentence. Her request was denied, and on the morning of her execution, Ruth Ellis was led to the gallows.

As she stood on the gallows, Ruth Ellis looked out over the crowd of onlookers and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and said a final prayer, asking for forgiveness and peace. At 12:30 pm on July 13, 1955, Ruth Ellis was executed by hanging. She was 27 years old.

Ruth Ellis's execution was the last woman to be carried out in Britain. Her case was a controversial one, and it sparked widespread debate about the death penalty and the role of women in society. Ruth Ellis's story has been told and retold countless times, and she has become a symbol of the tragic consequences of jealousy and possessiveness.

In the years since Ruth Ellis's execution, the death penalty has been abolished in Britain. The case of Ruth Ellis has also been used as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked jealousy and the importance of maintaining healthy relationships. Ruth Ellis's legacy lives on, and she will always be remembered as the last woman to be hanged in Britain.

Weight: 242g
Dimension: 128 x 197 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781841884479