Ruth Ellis
Ruth Ellis (née Neilson; 9 October 1926 – 13 July 1955) was a British nightclub hostess and convicted murderer who became the last woman to be hanged in the United Kingdom following the fatal shooting of her lover, David Blakely.
Ruth Ellis | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ruth Neilson 9 October 1926 Rhyl, Denbighshire, Wales |
| Died | 13 July 1955 (aged 28) HMP Holloway, London, England |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Resting place | HMP Holloway; later reburied in St Mary's Church, Old Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. 51°40′04.9″N 0°36′53.2″W |
| Occupation(s) | Model, nightclub hostess |
| Known for | Last woman executed in the UK |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Spouse | George Johnston Ellis (1950–1955) |
| Children | 2 |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
| Criminal penalty | Death by hanging |
In her teens, Ellis had entered the world of nightclub hostessing, which led to a chaotic life that included various relationships with men. One of these men was David Blakely, a racing driver engaged to another woman. On Easter Sunday, 10 April 1955, Ellis shot Blakely dead outside The Magdala public house in Hampstead, London, and she was immediately arrested by an off-duty policeman. At her trial in June 1955, she was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to death; on 13 July she was hanged at HMP Holloway.
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