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Headstone installed in Amersham for Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in the UK
Overview
A headstone has been installed at St Mary's Cemetery in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, for Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in the UK. Ellis was hanged in 1955 for the murder of her lover, David Blakely, and was previously in an unmarked grave after her remains were reburied in 1971. The new headstone was requested by her eldest grandson, Scott Walker, to mark what would have been her 100th birthday, following a campaign by her family that recently led to her being granted a posthumous conditional pardon in July 2026.
Key points
- A headstone for Ruth Ellis has been installed at St Mary's Cemetery in Amersham to mark what would have been her 100th birthday.
- Ellis was the last woman executed in the UK, hanged at Holloway Prison in 1955 at the age of 28 for murdering her lover David Blakely.
- Her grave had previously been unmarked and earlier memorials had been vandalised or gone missing.
- The headstone initiative was led by her eldest grandson, Scott Walker, with support from Amersham Town Council and family members.
- In July 2026, Ellis was granted a posthumous conditional pardon following a decades-long family campaign highlighting her experiences of domestic abuse.