Pictures » UK 2008 » Halifax Gibbet
Halifax Gibbet
June 14, 2008 - Halifax, United Kingdom
Tania demonstrating the guilotine. Apparently if the condemned was able to pull his head out before the axe dropped and then was able to run away and not get caught then he was set free. One guy managed this and then 7 yrs later stupidly came back to Halifax thinking he was pardoned or his crime was forgotten however unfortunately for him this was not the case and he was duly executed.
EDITED TO ADD: See Sharon's comment below...we didn't realise victims would be facing upwards. What a horrible way to go. And makes it all the more incredible to think that some people did actually manage to escape.
« 
»
1 Comment
Sharon Hutchinson:
June 17, 2008
Great picture of the Halifax Gibbet replica. However, the victim was not placed in this position (like the later guillotine), but rather was placed on his/her back. Thus, the condemned would be looking up at the blade and its fall, thus increasing the terror. I cannot imagine how horrible this must have been!
