‘I beg to offer you my services as executioner’

THE founder of Britain’s most famous family dynasty of executioners once offered his macabre services in a case in Cork, in 1903.

In a letter to the Under Sheriff of Cork on March 22, 1903, regarding the case of Andrew Moore, Henry A Pierrepoint’s letter began: “I beg to offer you my services as executioner.”

The letter is due to go for auction at Rochford’s on Grand Parade in Cork next Tuesday.

Pierrepoint outlined his “works” as principal executioner at various prisons across Britain.

He confidently assured the Under Sheriff that the “Governor of HM Prison Manchester will be pleased to recommend me to you.”

Henry A Pierrepoint was the founder of the Pierrepoint family dynasty.

He entered the profession of executioner at the age of 27 after writing numerous letters to the Home Secretary expressing his ambition to become a hangman.

After a period of disappointment, he finally received training at Newgate Prison in London and entered the profession in 1901, eventually becoming principal executioner taking part in more than 100 executions.

At the time of his letter, it is clear that Pierrepoint Sr was early into his career and eager for work.

However, fate decreed that Andrew Moore was not to become one of his victims and another statistic on the lengthy list of Pierrepoint family executions.

Moore’s story is fascinating in itself.

A sextant at Christ Church, Kilmeen, he was charged with the murder of former rector the Rev William Bell.

Bell was found apparently burned to death in his hay barn on the evening of Saturday, November 1, 1902.

It was first thought that a paraffin lantern had exploded and set fire to the barn. However, evidence soon came to light that there was something more sinister to the fire.

Although Bell’s body was badly burned, it transpired that his head had been cut off and was nowhere to be found.

Suspicion fell on Moore who thought Bell was having an affair with his wife.

He was tried and convicted of the murder at the Cork Assizes in 1903.

Moore was originally sentenced to be hanged. However, as doctors could not say whether Bell’s wounds were inflicted before death, Moore escaped the hands of Pierrepoint and had his sentence commuted to penal servitude for life.

As for Henry Pierrepoint, he continued as principal executioner in Britain until 1910 when, according to files from the Public Records Office, he was sacked after arriving for an execution at Chelmsford in July 1910 “considerably the worse for drink”.

He died in 1922, 10 years before his son Albert embarked on the same career. Albert went on to become the most prolific hangman in British history, while Henry’s brother Thomas also entered the trade.