Ruth Ellis

Ruth Ellis (9 October 1926 – 13 July 1955) was the last woman to be executed in the United Kingdom, after being convicted of the murder of her lover, David Blakely.

From a humble background, Ellis was drawn into the world of London nightclub hostessing, which led to a chaotic life of brief relationships, some of them with upper-class nightclubbers and celebrities. Two of these were Blakely, a racing driver already engaged to another woman, and Desmond Cussen, a retail company director.

On Easter Sunday 1955, Ellis shot Blakely dead outside the Magdala public house in Hampstead, and immediately gave herself up to the police. At her trial, she took full responsibility for the murder; and her courtesy and composure, both in court and in the cells, was noted in the press. She was hanged at Holloway Prison.

Early life

Ellis was born in the Welsh seaside town of Rhyl, the third of six children. During her childhood her family moved to Basingstoke. Her mother, Elisaberta (Bertha) Cothals, was a Belgian refugee; her father, Arthur Hornby, was a cellist from Manchester who spent much of his time playing on Atlantic cruise liners. Arthur changed his surname to Neilson after the birth of Ruth's elder sister Muriel.

Ruth Ellis (activist)

Ruth Charlotte Ellis (July 23, 1899 October 5, 2000) was an African-American woman who became widely known as the oldest surviving open lesbian, and LGBT rights activist at the age of 100, her life being celebrated in Yvonne Welbon's documentary film Living With Pride: Ruth C. Ellis @ 100.

Biography

Ellis was born in Springfield, Illinois, on July 23, 1899, to Charlie Ellis and Carrie Farro Ellis. She was the youngest of four children in the family and the only daughter. Her parents were born in the last years of slavery in Tennessee. Ellis' mother died when she was a teen. She came out as a lesbian around 1915, and graduated from Springfield High School in 1919, at a time when fewer than seven percent of African Americans graduated from secondary school. In the 1920s, she met the only woman she ever lived with, Ceciline "Babe" Franklin. They moved together to Detroit, Michigan, in 1937 where Ellis became the first American woman to own a printing business in that city. She made a living printing stationery, fliers, and posters out of her house. Ellis and Franklin's house was also known in the African American community as the "gay spot". It was a central location for gay and lesbian parties, and also served as a refuge for African American gays and lesbians. Although Ellis and Franklin eventually separated, they were together for more than 30 years. Franklin died in 1973. Throughout her life, Ellis was an advocate of the rights of gays and lesbians, and of African Americans. She died in her sleep at her home on October 5, 2000.

Podcasts:

Famous quotes by Ruth Ellis:

"It is obvious that when I shot him I intended to kill him."
"I know that I am going to die, and I'm ready to do so."
"I did not defend myself. I say a life for a life."
"You wont hear anything from me that says I didn't kill David. I did kill him."
"My life has been nothing special. I am a quiet person who came from a very ordinary, middle-class Negro family."
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Ruth Jones set to star in new Harlan Coben Netflix thriller after final Gavin and ...

The Daily Mail 22 Jan 2025
Ruth Jones is set to star in a new Netflix thriller from Harlan Coben following the final ever episode of Gavin and Stacey ... Ruth will star as private investigator Elena Ravenscroft who is looking for a missing young man.
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The 25 hottest TV shows we'll all be watching in 2025: Bergerac rebooted, a Motherland ...

The Daily Mail 02 Jan 2025
SUMMER, BBC1 ... 'It turns Europe into a board game,' says Rob ... SPRING, ITV1 ... 5 FEBRUARY, NETFLIX ... Four-part drama exploring the troubled life of Ruth Ellis (Lucy Boynton), the last woman to be hanged in Britain, for murdering her lover in 1955.DRAMA ... .
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2025 TV Premiere Dates: New and Returning Shows

The Wrap 30 Dec 2024
If there’s a show you’ve been waiting years to return, chances are it’s coming back in 2025 ... Those historic Hollywood effects delayed production across the board ... But bounce back they did ... January ... The Ruth Ellis Story” (BritBox).
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TV Talk: Streamers, cable schedule plenty of midseason new, returning series

Pittsburgh Tribune Review 26 Dec 2024
With the hangover of the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes in the rearview mirror, streaming and cable outlets have plans to debut dozens of new and returning series through April, including. ... 1, Netflix) ... The Ruth Ellis Story” (Feb.
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Nutshell vs Fundsmith: Lord Spencer donates £20,000 to osteoporosis after beating Terry Smith | This ...

The Daily Mail 22 Dec 2024
He said the Nutshell fund, run by Mark Ellis, did even better than he had hoped ... Wager. Lord Spencer, right, with Ruth Sunderland and fund boss Mark Ellis ... Small investors can put in lump sums starting at £100, or £25 for regular monthly savings ... .
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It'll be lonely this Christmas! The faces of the Brits on death row this festive ...

The Daily Mail 22 Dec 2024
The death penalty has long been outlawed in the UK with the last British woman to be executed being Ruth Ellis in 1955 who was hanged for shooting her lover outside a pub in North London ... Lindsay Sandiford - Death by firing squad ... Advertisement ... .
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City titan Lord Spencer gives his £20,000 winnings to charity | This is Money

The Daily Mail 21 Dec 2024
He said the Nutshell fund, run by Mark Ellis, did even better than he had hoped ... Wager. Lord Spencer, right, with Ruth Sunderland and fund boss Mark Ellis ... Small investors can put in lump sums starting at £100, or £25 for regular monthly savings ... .
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Eamonn Holmes left reeling after his GB News co-star Isabel Webster is sacked - leaving ...

The Daily Mail 19 Dec 2024
'Isabel's been a massive source of comfort to him during a terribly difficult year following his separation from Ruth ... It's another brutal blow for the Eamonn just days before his first Christmas without his ex Ruth Langsford.
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Hampton woman kept her home with help from Gift of Warmth

Seacoast Online 08 Dec 2024
Ruth Ellis of Hampton said she had never sought help before ... Ellis had no car ... She said everyone was nice to her and she recommends talking to Community Action as soon as you need help.Gift of Warmth helps Ruth Ellis.
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Who was David Blakely and how did Ruth Ellis kill him?

The Sun 05 Dec 2024
DAVID Blakely was a racecar driver who was murdered by his girlfriend Ruth Ellis, after he subjected her to abuse throughout their relationship ... The Ruth Ellis ... The Ruth Ellis StoryITV ... The Ruth Ellis story.
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Who is DCI Davies? Detective in charge of Ruth Ellis’ case 

The Sun 04 Dec 2024
DCI Davies was the detective in charge of solving the Ruth Ellis case, which saw a nightclub manager of the same name murder her ex-lover ... The Ruth Ellis Story ... Investigating Ruth Ellis ... The Ruth Ellis Story, DCI Davies will be played by Joe Armstrong.
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Lucy Boynton Takes on 'The Ruth Ellis Story' in Trailer for British True Crime Drama ...

Collider 03 Dec 2024
BritBox will soon return to the world of true crime with its upcoming new series, A Cruel Love. The Ruth Ellis Story ... ....
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Who was Ruth Ellis? Nightclub manageress, convicted murderer and last woman to hang in the UK

The Sun 26 Nov 2024
Ruth Ellis was a nightclub manageress who became the last woman to hang in the UK, after she murdered her husband ... The Ruth Ellis Story, where she will be played by Lucy Boynton ... The Ruth Ellis Story ... The Real Ruth Ellis Story.
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Furore sparked by Jamie Oliver children’s book cultural appropriation opens wider debate

The Observer 24 Nov 2024
When British crime writer Elly Griffiths released her fourth novel in the bestselling Ruth Galloway mystery series, she did her homework ... “Both Quercus and Elly Griffiths are profoundly sorry for the ...
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Australia invests in future of cricket in Pacific region

Beijing News 22 Nov 2024
This renewed partnership builds on the success of previous partnerships, which include Australian players Ellie Johnston, Ruth Johnston and Rhiann O'Donnell participating in the 2024 T20 Smash in PNG, ...

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