Jack Ketch

John (Jack) Ketch (died 1686) was an English executioner employed by King Charles II. An immigrant of Irish extraction, he became famous through the way he performed his duties during the tumults of the 1680s, when he was often mentioned in broadsheet accounts that circulated throughout the Kingdom of England. He is thought to have been appointed in 1663. He executed the death sentences against William Russell, Lord Russell in Lincoln's Inn Fields on July 21, 1683 and James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth on July 15 1685 after the Monmouth Rebellion. He was either very awkward or sadistic with his beheading technique, and his victims were known to have suffered at their deaths.

Ketch's execution of Lord Russell on July 21 1683 was performed clumsily, and a pamphlet is extant which contains his Apologie, in which he alleges that the prisoner did not "dispose himself as was most suitable" and that he was interrupted while taking aim. On the scaffold (see gallows) on July 15 1685, the Duke of Monmouth, addressing Ketch, referred to his treatment of Lord Russell, the result being that Ketch was quite unmanned. He had to deal at least five strokes with his axe and finally use a knife to sever Monmouth's head from his shoulders. In 1686, Ketch was deposed and imprisoned at Bridewell. His successor, Paskah Rose, a butcher, was hanged at Tyburn after four months in his office. Ketch was reappointed in his place. He died towards the close of 1686.

As a result, the term Jack Ketch is also used:

as a proverbial name for death or, sometimes, Satan;
as a euphemism for the gallows;
as the name of the hangman in the traditional version of Punch and Judy.

The knot more commonly known as a hangman's knot is also sometimes known as Jack Ketch's knot.

As a figure of death in folklore "Jack Ketch" is also known as "Hanging Jack" and "Mister Graball".

In popular culture

"The Night Before Larry Was Stretched", an Irish street song presumed to be from the eighteenth century, refers to the protagonist's hangman as Jack Ketch.
"Parasite Planet", a 1935 science fiction story by Stanley G. Weinbaum, features a Venusian plant called a Jack Ketch tree that strangles its prey using nooselike loops at the ends of its branches.
Brass Man, a 2005 novel by Neal Asher, features an AI-controlled military spaceship that has named itself Jack Ketch (and has a fascination for historical methods of execution).
The System of the World, by Neal Stephenson uses the name Jack Ketch as a nickname for the whichever executioner is currently serving at Tyburn Cross (although the scene takes place in 1714, 28 years after the death of the original Ketch).
In the Vertigo comic book series Fables, Jack Ketch is Fabletown's executioner.
In the Alan Moore's comic book series Miracleman, Jack Ketch is an executioner themed superhero that appears in a dream sequence.
In the videogame Xenosaga Episode II, the large, axe wielding foes use an attack called "Jack Ketch is a Killer."
The manga Leviathan, volume 4, features a storyline where a villain uses a book to possess civilians with the spirits of historical killers. The protagonist trumps the villain by using the book to possess a comrade with the spirit of Jack Ketch.
The human host for the Marvel Comics anti-hero Ghost Rider in the 1990s was known as Danny Ketch. Howard Mackie originally wanted to name the host "Jack Ketch" but instead opted to name the Danny's best friend as "Jack" and went with "Danny" for the host.
A band named "Jack Ketch & the Crowmen" released a 1988 record on Billy Childish's label Hangman Records.
In both the animated and videogame versions of Gregory Horror Show the character Nekozombie wears a T-Shirt with 'Jack Ketch' emblazened on the front.
In Philip Larkin's "Livings", the line "Why is Judas like Jack Ketch" is one of the topics of the trivial topics of conversation in the third vignette.
In Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker the executioner is called "Ketch".

References

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)