The Dark History of the Hangman’s Rope: Europe’s Most Brutal Punishments Revealed"

Laws and punishments are also the subject of our next story, which explores the life of a notorious executioner. An executioner who performs their duty effectively often fades into obscurity. Fame or infamy tends to be reserved for those who wield the sharp edge of the axe. Those who are remembered usually do so due to the number of executions they have carried out. For instance, Albert Pierrepoint oversaw the execution of up to 600 people. Others may gain notoriety for the circumstances that led them to their role, such as Elizabeth Sugru, who volunteered to execute those condemned alongside her.

However, one man gained notoriety not for his successes, but for how poorly he performed his job and the brutality of his executions. That man was Jack Catch. Little is known about Catch's early life, but it is widely believed that he was born in Ireland. Like many executioners, he spent some time on the wrong side of the law and served a sentence in the notorious Marshalsea Prison. After an apprenticeship under London’s common hangman, Edward Dun, Catch was appointed public executioner around 1663. The first documented mention of his services was in the proceedings of the Old Bailey during a murder trial in 1676.

During his 23-year career, Catch was one of several executioners ending the lives of London's condemned. However, he became the most famous due to his remarkable reputation for brutality. His name even became slang for any executioner, as well as for death itself. The motives behind his violent executions remain speculative. Some believe he was simply grossly incompetent, while others suggest financial incentives were a factor. Executioners were compensated for each execution, but it was not a lucrative profession.

In 1682, Catch even went on strike for better wages and was successful. Executioners had additional avenues to earn money from their services. They were typically allowed to keep the clothing of the condemned, which could be sold. Many condemned individuals wanted to appear their best in their final moments, often arriving at the gallows in their finest garments. These items could then be sold at a considerable profit.

Moreover, Catch and other executioners commonly auctioned the rope used for each hanging. The hangman’s rope was a coveted talisman believed to bring good luck and possess mystical healing powers. Gamblers and fashionable women alike clamored for the chance to purchase even a strand of the noose. For a rope used in the execution of a notable criminal, Catch could earn as much as a shilling per inch. Beyond material goods, it is likely that Catch profited from accepting bribes. Although executioners needed to learn their craft, the profession lacked specific protocols or quality control measures.

Before 1850, executions were primarily conducted using a short drop method. In this method, the condemned individual stood on a support, such as a stool or ladder, with a noose around their neck. When the support was removed, the condemned person dangled from the rope. Their body weight tightened the noose, leading to death.

The executioner's skill determined the manner and length of death. The executioner purchased the rope, soaped or greased it, decided the number of coils in the noose, and fitted it to the prisoner's neck. When executed correctly, this process resulted in a swift death, ideally through neck breaking upon the drop. Conversely, if proper care was not taken, the prisoner could remain conscious during the slow strangulation.

A successful hanging led to death within a few minutes. However, a poorly executed hanging could extend the process to nearly an hour. One of the worst recorded cases involved condemned prisoner Steven Colllege, who hung for half an hour before the executioner, Jack Catch, abandoned the noose and resorted to quartering him. This gruesome outcome illustrates the desperation of many condemned men, who would offer Jack Catch money in exchange for a swift, humane death.

The skill required to ensure a quick death by hanging was significant. Consequently, it was not unusual to observe a wide variety of results, even among the most experienced executioners.