Ruth Ellis The last woman executed in England Date of Birth: 09.10.1926 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Ruth Ellis

Ruth Ellis, born Ruth Neilson, was the last woman to be executed in England. She was born in 1926 in Rhyl, North Wales, the third of six children in the family of cellist Arthur Hornby and his wife Elisaberta Cothals, a Belgian refugee. The family relocated to Basingstoke, where Ruth attended Fairfields Senior Girls' School. At the age of 14, Ruth left school and started working as a waitress. In 1941, the family moved to London.

At 17, Ruth became pregnant by a horse-drawn police officer, and her illegitimate son Clare Andrea Neilson, also known as Andy, was born. However, the child's father only supported them financially for the first year before disappearing from their lives. Ruth's surname Neilson was her father's true surname, which he changed after the birth of their eldest daughter.

As time passed, Ruth worked as a waitress and later became a manager in a nightclub, which was also a brothel. She had numerous influential clients and enjoyed a somewhat scandalous position. In 1953, Ruth met David Blakely, a well-educated younger man who was engaged to another woman named Mary Dawson at the time. They began a passionate affair, and David moved in with Ruth, who lived above the club.

During their relationship, Ruth became pregnant again, but she had an abortion as they were unsure about their future. Ruth also had a romantic involvement with Desmond Cussens during this period. David, desperate to maintain his hold over Ruth, proposed marriage, but the difficulties persisted. In a heated argument, David punched Ruth in the stomach, causing her to lose another baby.

On April 10, 1955, Ruth went in search of David and found him outside 'The Magdala' pub in Hampstead with a friend. Ignoring her, David searched for his car keys. Ruth pulled out a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver from her purse and shot David five times. He tried to run but was hit by a second bullet, and the remaining three shots were fired into his body while he lay on the sidewalk. Ruth was immediately arrested, although she was in a state of shock.

Ruth was brought to a police station where she remained calm and confessed her guilt. Medical examinations confirmed her sanity, and she stood trial on June 20, 1955. During the trial, Ruth admitted her intention to kill David, which facilitated a swift verdict. She was sentenced to death and transferred to the condemned cell in Holloway Prison.

On July 13, 1955, Ruth Ellis was executed by Albert Pierrepoint, the official executioner, assisted by Royston Rickard. The case sparked public outrage and intense debates, leading to the reconsideration of the death penalty in England. It was finally abolished in 1969, making Ruth the last woman to be executed in the country.

After the execution, Ruth's husband became an alcoholic and committed suicide in 1958. Her son, who was 10 years old at the time of her execution, suffered from severe psychological trauma and took his own life in 1982. Ruth's daughter lived until the age of 50 and died from cancer. Ruth was buried in an unmarked grave within the walls of Holloway Prison.

In 1985, Ruth's story inspired the film "Dance with a Stranger," and in 1956, the movie "Yield to the Night" was released, featuring a character similar to Ruth. Additionally, her story formed the basis of the play "Follow Me," first performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2007.