Bruce Alison Release Date: 01 May 2009 Format: Hardback Pages: 256 Category: General Publisher: History Press ISBN: 9780750947749
James Billington, formerly a pub entertainer and then a
barber, had been single-minded in his determination to
secure the post of executioner for London and the Home
Counties. But did he really feel he was primarily a benefit
to society and justice, or were his reasons for wanting the
position more personal? Three of his sons, Thomas, William
and John, followed in his footsteps and together the family
were responsible for 235 executions in Great Britain between
1884 and 1905. Billington: Victorian Executioner provides a
complete account of the stories behind James Billington's
153 executions, as well as introducing the reader to the
real man behind the rope. This fascinating biography is an
exciting addition to any true crime bookshelf.