The grandchildren of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain, are launching a fresh campaign to clear her name nearly seven decades after her controversial death.
Georgie and Chris Ellis are demanding a formal posthumous pardon from the Ministry of Justice, arguing that significant flaws in their grandmother's 1955 murder trial warrant official recognition.
A Fateful Night in Hampstead
Ruth Ellis was convicted of shooting her lover, racing driver David Blakely, outside the Magdala pub in Hampstead, north London. The 28-year-old nightclub hostess made no attempt to deny the crime during her trial, which lasted just a day and a half.
"I intended to kill him," she famously told the Old Bailey, a statement that would seal her fate.
New Evidence Emerges
The family's case centres on several key aspects they believe were improperly handled:
- Ellis suffered severe physical abuse from Blakely, including a miscarriage caused by his violence just weeks before the shooting
- Her defence failed to present crucial evidence of her diminished mental state
- Another man, Desmond Cussen, may have provided the murder weapon and driven her to the scene
"The justice system failed her completely," says Georgie Ellis. "She was a victim of domestic violence who received no proper legal defence."
The Human Cost of History
Chris Ellis reflects on the personal toll: "Growing up, we couldn't talk about our grandmother. There was so much shame attached to her story. Now we understand she was failed by everyone - her abusive partner, the legal system, and society itself."
The execution at Holloway Prison on July 13, 1955, sparked widespread outrage and became a catalyst for the abolition of capital punishment in Britain.
A Campaign for Redemption
The family has enlisted human rights lawyer John Cooper KC to present their case to the Ministry of Justice. They're gathering public support through petitions and plan to approach MPs for a parliamentary debate.
While a posthumous pardon wouldn't overturn the conviction, it would represent an official acknowledgment that Ellis's case was mishandled and that she was failed by the justice system of her time.
The Ministry of Justice has acknowledged receipt of the application, stating: "Our thoughts remain with the families of victims of these historical crimes."
