Thomas Derrick (executioner)
Thomas Derrick was a seaman and executioner in Tyburn off London in the Elizabethan era . Drilling tower frames, derrick booms and the derrick crane are named after him.
In June 1596 he accompanied the naval expedition of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex , as a seaman , during which the Spanish port of Cádiz was captured . Under the command of the Earl of Essex, the sailors ransacked the town, including raping some Spanish women. Twenty-four of the perpetrators were sentenced to death . However, since no one wanted to be the hangman, the Earl pardoned Thomas Derrick to hang the other 23 . Derrick did this efficiently by lifting her up with a pulley on a spar .
On his return to England he became an executioner in Tyburn and executed over 3,000 people. He built a three-legged gallows for his work . When the Earl of Essex tried to revolt against Queen Elizabeth I in 1601 and was sentenced to death, Derrick had the duty to behead him .
Web links
- The Hangman Thomas Derrick on: The Dennis Derrik Family Web Site .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Derrick, Thomas |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | English sailor and executioner |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 16th Century |
| DATE OF DEATH | 17th century |