George Smith (executioner)
Encyclopedia
George Smith popularly known as Throttler Smith, was an English hangman
from 1840 until 1866. He was born in Rowley Regis
in the English West Midlands
, where he performed the majority of his executions. Although from a good family he became involved with gangs and petty crime in his early life, and was imprisoned in Stafford Gaol on several occasions for theft.
. His first solo engagement was the public execution of James Owen and George Thomas outside Stafford Gaol, although he continued to work with Calcraft around the country.
Smith's highest profile victim was William Palmer
, executed on 14 June 1856 after having been found guilty of poisoning John Parsons Cook, but popularly supposed to have murdered some 14 people including his mother-in-law to fund his gambling debts. Smith was paid £5 plus expenses to carry out the hanging. His final execution took place in 1866, once again at Stafford Gaol. The victim was a man named Collier, a poacher who had been found guilty of the murder of a local worthy. Unfortunately for Collier the rope slipped from the overhead beam of the gallows on Smith's first attempt, resulting in a five-minute delay before a replacement could be rigged.
Hangman
Hangman may refer to:* Hangman, an executioner who carries out a death sentence by hanging* Hangman , a game of guessing a word or phrase one letter at a timeIn literature:* Hangman , an enemy of Batman...
from 1840 until 1866. He was born in Rowley Regis
Rowley Regis
Rowley Regis is a town in the Sandwell metropolitan borough of the West Midlands county and a part of the Black Country in the United Kingdom. Being part of the Black Country, locals speak with the traditional dialect, though in a form regarded by many as the quickest and the hardest to...
in the English West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
, where he performed the majority of his executions. Although from a good family he became involved with gangs and petty crime in his early life, and was imprisoned in Stafford Gaol on several occasions for theft.
Career as a hangman, 1840–1866
Smith learned his trade as an assistant to William CalcraftWilliam Calcraft
William Calcraft was the most famous English hangman of the 19th century. One of the most prolific British executioners of all time, it is estimated that he carried out 450 executions during his 45-year career...
. His first solo engagement was the public execution of James Owen and George Thomas outside Stafford Gaol, although he continued to work with Calcraft around the country.
Smith's highest profile victim was William Palmer
William Palmer (murderer)
William Palmer was an English doctor who was convicted of murder in one of the most notorious cases of the 19th century.-Early life:...
, executed on 14 June 1856 after having been found guilty of poisoning John Parsons Cook, but popularly supposed to have murdered some 14 people including his mother-in-law to fund his gambling debts. Smith was paid £5 plus expenses to carry out the hanging. His final execution took place in 1866, once again at Stafford Gaol. The victim was a man named Collier, a poacher who had been found guilty of the murder of a local worthy. Unfortunately for Collier the rope slipped from the overhead beam of the gallows on Smith's first attempt, resulting in a five-minute delay before a replacement could be rigged.