William Marwood (1818 – 4 September 1883) was a British state hangman. He developed the technique of hanging known as the "long drop".

Early life

Marwood was born in 1818 in the village of Goulceby, the fifth of ten children born to William and Elizabeth Marwood. He was originally a cobbler like his father, of Church Lane, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England. In 1852 he appears on the electoral roll as a shoemaker, living in Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire. He was married twice: first to a woman named Jessey who died during the 1860s, then to Ellen Andrews (who died aged 55 shortly after Marwood himself).

Executioner

At the age of 54 he persuaded the governor of Lincoln Castle Gaol to allow him to conduct an execution. The efficient way in which he conducted the hanging of William Frederick Horry on 1 April 1872 assisted him in being appointed hangman by the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex in 1874, in succession to William Calcraft, at a retainer of £20 a year plus £10 per execution.

The "Long Drop"

Marwood developed the "long drop" technique of hanging, which aimed to ensure that the prisoner's neck was broken instantly at the end of the drop, resulting in the prisoner dying of asphyxia, but while unconscious. This was considered more humane than the slow death by strangulation caused by the "short drop" method, particularly distressing to prison governors and staff who were required to witness executions at close quarters following abolition of public executions by the Capital Punishment Amendment Act 1868.

Notable executions

In his nine years as a hangman, Marwood hanged 176 people, including:

Legacy

William Marwood influenced James Berry, a retired police officer and friend, to take up the role of hangman. During his time Berry improved upon William Marwood's technique of the long drop. Marwood was one of two executioners to give their name to the character of the hangman in the British Punch and Judy puppet show (Jack Ketch being the better known one). In Marwood's time there was a popular quip as follows: In the play The Life and Adventurers of Charles Peace (1927) Marwood's role of executioner was played by the former hangman John Ellis.

Death

Marwood died in 1883 from pneumonia and jaundice and was buried at Trinity Church, Horncastle, Lincolnshire.