Although George Smith is not one of England’s best-known hangmen, he assisted William Calcraft at six executions and officiated as principal at 33 public hangings and one private one between 1840 and 1872. Early Life and First Execution George Smith was born in Rowley Regis in Staffordshire in 1805. In 1840, he was serving a … Read more
Early Life and Background Robert Evans was born in Carmarthen in 1816, the son of a successful lawyer. He later studied and qualified to become a doctor, although he never actually practised medicine. In fact, he inherited sufficient money to live comfortably without working. In later life, he adopted his mother’s maiden name of Anderson, … Read more
James Billington (1847–1901) James Billington was born in Preston, Lancashire, in 1847 and had a lifelong fascination with hanging. As an eleven-year-old boy, he built a model gallows and practised hanging dummies on it. He unsuccessfully applied to succeed William Marwood as the official executioner, but managed to secure the Yorkshire hangman’s position, where he … Read more
