THE RELUCTANT HANGMAN The Public and Private Life of a Hangman. The Story of James Berry, Executioner 1884-1892

Hardback. Of all the ways men have earned their living, perhaps the most extraordinary was carrying out the sentences of death passed by the Law on their fellow man. What made a man adopt this trade? What were his thoughts? How did his wife and family react? The author gives some of the answers to these questions by telling the story of one of Britain's 'modern' executioners, James Berry, who hanged some 200 men and women (his first execution was a double carried out in March 1884, two men named Innes and Vickers). Berry was the first hangman to be really literate with the attitude that there was nothing peculiar in his occupation. His experiences over a number of years, and especially in hanging women, eventually unnerved him. He completely changed his ideas about capital punishment and when he died, was a violent opponent of it. Illus., Index. 191pp. 8vo. h/back. With previous owner's neat name insc. to ffep, lightly foxed and browned edges, small dent to fore-edge, sunned sp. Vg.