November 5, 1911 - Harry Allen
Allen carried out state executions across Britain and its territories for more than two decades, operating at the institutional center of capital punishment during its final era in the United Kingdom. His career intersected with some of the most disputed cases in British legal history, including the hangings of Derek Bentley — later posthumously pardoned — and James Hanratty, whose guilt remained contested for forty years until DNA evidence resolved the question. He performed one of the last two executions before Britain abolished the death penalty, making him a figure at the literal end of a long tradition of judicial killing.
From Wikipedia
Harold Bernard Allen (5 November 1911 – 14 August 1992) was one of Britain's last official executioners, officiating between 1941 and 1964. He was chief executioner at 41 executions and acted as assistant executioner at 53 others, at various prisons in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and Cyprus. He acted as assistant executioner for 14 years, mostly to Albert Pierrepoint from 1941 to 1955.
In October 1955 Allen was appointed as Chief Executioner alongside Pierrepoint, although he did not execute anyone in this role until 10 May 1956, when he hanged two EOKA members in Cyprus. Pierrepoint was no longer available because he had resigned in February 1956. Allen's most controversial hanging came in April 1962, when James Hanratty was hanged for murder, despite efforts to clear his name. Hanratty was proven guilty in 2002 by DNA. Allen also assisted in the 1953 execution of Derek Bentley, who was posthumously pardoned. He performed one of the last two executions in Britain, in August 1964.
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