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Ruth Ellis, who holds the somber distinction of being the final woman executed in the United Kingdom, has been granted a conditional pardon posthumously. Ellis was executed by hanging at Holloway Prison in London in 1955 following her conviction for the murder of her lover, David Blakely. Her family has long sought to overturn the conviction, asserting that Ellis was a victim of domestic violence, enduring both physical and emotional abuse at Blakely’s hands prior to the fatal shooting.
In Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy announced that King had granted the pardon, explaining that the death penalty sentence has now been replaced with one of life imprisonment. This pardon acknowledges the miscarriage of justice in her case without asserting her innocence. Ellis’ granddaughter, Laura Enston, expressed relief and hope, stating, “The shadow of Ruth’s execution has fallen across two generations. We have carried shame that was never ours to bear.”
Ruth Ellis was a nightclub hostess originally from Rhyl, Denbighshire. The tragic incident occurred outside The Magdala pub in Hampstead, London, following a fraught relationship riddled with infidelity by both Ellis and Blakely. Ellis had suffered an illegal abortion at the time and had been physically assaulted by Blakely, including being punched in the stomach during an argument which caused a miscarriage. Despite this, the judge instructed the jury to ignore the abuse she suffered when considering her defense, as laws providing diminished responsibility had not yet been enacted—they were introduced two years after her trial.
The issue was raised in the House of Commons by Labour MP Pam Cox, who appealed for the pardon on behalf of Ellis’ grandchildren, present in the public gallery during the session. Cox highlighted the case as a stark example of a justice system that once failed to acknowledge domestic abuse and coercive control, praising the persistent efforts of Ruth’s family and supporters to secure posthumous justice. Lammy concurred, affirming the King’s acceptance of the advice to grant the conditional pardon, while recognizing the enduring pain borne by Ellis’ descendants
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