Jack Ketch
John (Jack) Ketch (died
1686) was an
executioner employed by King
Charles II. He became famous through the way he performed his duties during the tumults of the
1680s, when he was often mentioned in
broadsheet accounts that circulated throughout the
Kingdom of England. He is thought to have been appointed in 1663. He executed
William Russell, Lord Russell in
Lincoln's Inn Fields on
July 21,
1683 and
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth on
July 15 1685 after the
Monmouth Rebellion. He was either very awkward or
sadistic with his beheading technique, and his victims were known to have suffered at their deaths.
Ketch's execution of Lord Russell on
July 21 1683 was performed clumsily, and a pamphlet is extant which contains his "Apologie," in which he alleges that the prisoner did not "dispose himself as was most suitable" and that he was interrupted while taking aim. On the
scaffold on
July 15 1685, the Duke of Monmouth, addressing Ketch, referred to his treatment of Lord Russell, the result being that Ketch was quite unmanned. He had to deal at least five strokes with his axe and finally use a knife to sever Monmouth's head from his shoulders. In 1686, Ketch was deposed and imprisoned at
Bridewell. His successor,
Pascha Rose, a
butcher, was hanged at
Tyburn after four months in his office. Ketch was reappointed in his place. He died towards the close of 1686.
As a result, the term
Jack Ketch is also used:
*as a proverbial name for
death or, sometimes,
Satan;
*as a shorthand for the
gallows;
*as the name of the
hangman in the traditional version of
Punch and Judy.
The
knot more commonly known as a
hangman's knot is also sometimes known as
Jack Ketch's knot.
As a figure of death in folklore "Jack Ketch" is also known as "Hanging Jack" and "Mister Graball".
