Lords of the Scaffold: A History of the Executioner

by Geoffrey Abbott

MACABRE, INTRIGUING AND BLACKLY FUNNY, HERE IS A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF EXECUTIONERS AND THEIR METHODS THROUGH THE CENTURIES.

Genres: History, Crime, True Crime

191 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1991

About the author

Geoffrey Abbott served for many years as a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London. Author of nineteen books and contributor to the Encyclopaedia Britannica/, he has made numerous television appearances. He lives in London.

Reviews

[Kurt Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, but wish it had carried on up to the present (well, 1987) day. It seems to trail off at about the turn of the century.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geoffrey Abbott, a former Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London, produced a very interesting book in "Lords of the Scaffold". Methods of execution and the men (and occasionally women) who carried them out.

Readable, interesting and spiced with Abbott's somewhat mordant sense of humor, "Lords of the Scaffold" delivers interesting snippets of information, and full stories not readily available in other history books. In depth descriptions of some of England's more famous executions are also supplied.

History books rarely tell us who performed the executions ordered by the law of the time, "Lords of the Scaffold" goes some way towards remedying this. In fact, the profiles of some executioners are actually quite in depth.

If you have any sort of interest in criminal history, the Tower of London, and early European law and order, do yourself a favor and source a copy of this book.

[Molliewog · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better history books I've read. Morbid and ghoulish, readable and completely fascinating.

[Azygos · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy reading, although is more an overview of death penalty in Europe (and especially England) than an accurate history of the executioners, of whom very little is said.