Albert Pierrepoint's Rope

My dad met Albert in his pub in Lancashire (Dropped in, en route, for food, down South on business) Called Mr Pierrepoint jovial, for a hangman Made from hemp, it's braided, twisted Break neck fast at speedy ending Rope, rope,it snaps the cord That splits the living from the dying Albert, at school, asked which career he'd choose Replied he'd like to be an executioner In 1931 his work began, With four days training up at Pentonville Next year, with uncle Tom, he hanged a farmer, At Mountjoy Prison, Dublin Took one minute Made from hemp, it's braided, twisted Break neck fast at speedy ending Rope, rope,it snaps the cord That splits the living from the dying Pierrepoint's first lead hanging, was a gangster Antonio "Babe" Mancini, contract killer Worked out the prisoner's height, the prisoner's weight Watched the condemned man through the "Judas hole" Tojudge his build. Tested the gear with a sack Decided the length of the drop he'd need to use Made from hemp, it's braided, twisted Break neck fast at speedy ending Rope, rope,it snaps the cord That splits the living from the dying Next day, at 8am exactly Mancini's arms were tied behind his back Punctually walking into the hanging chamber Over a spot that marked the trap door hatch A white hood over his head, noose round his neck Pierrepoint pushed a lever, through the trapdoor. The gangster fell, neck snapped, the Hangman's fracture. Made from hemp, it's braided, twisted Break neck fast at speedy ending Rope, rope,it snaps the cord That splits the living from the dying In wartime, Albert's skills were in demand German spies, court martials, murderers Hung Irma Grese and Josef Kramer, Two beasts from Bergen-Belsen's horror camp, And travelled several times to Hamelin town, Pied Piper of punishment, hanging hundreds there At home he executed British traitors Lord Haw-Haw, Amery and Schurch, Made from hemp, it's braided, twisted Break neck fast at speedy ending Rope, rope,it snaps the cord That splits the living from the dying Post war, he ran the Help the Poor Struggler pub Later, the larger Rose and Crown near Preston, . Meanwhilehe hanged the wickedest of the age John Haigh, the Acid Bath Murderer John Christie, serial killer and abortionist Ruth Ellis who shot her man, crime passionnel The innocent, Timothy Evans, of Rillington Place Albert stood in the liminal space of decision To kill or not to kill, the outlook changing Made from hemp, it's braided, twisted Break neck fast at speedy ending Rope, rope,it snaps the cord That splits the living from the dying Albert had dropped above 600 people Into the Unknown by his deadly rope He said his job was always sacred to him He gave the condemned dignity in dying Some men are joiners, bakers, doctors, engineers Albert was a public executioner Who took a pride in his work And like Mancini, was a contract killer Made from hemp, it's braided, twisted Break neck fast at speedy ending Rope, rope,it snaps the cord That splits the living from the dying