Official Table of Drops
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The Official Table of Drops, published by the British Home Office, is a manual used to calculate the correct length of rope for the long drop hangings.
Following a series of failed hangings including those of John 'Babbacombe' Lee, a committee led by Henry Bruce was formed in 1888 to discover and report on the most effective manner of hanging. The results of the committee's report were first published that year, with a significantly revised edition published in 1913, with the length of rope previously used for a 14 stone individual now used for an 8 stone individual. Though the United Kingdom has abolished the death penalty, the Official Table of Drops is still used, for example by Darshan Singh, chief hangman of Singapore.
The table is used as a guide with the final drop being decided after the Hangman has viewed the prisoner to accertain the prisoners build and neck strength. A strong neck would therefore get a slightly longer drop, a flabby one slightly less.
| Body weight | 1888-1913 drop | Modern drop |
|---|---|---|
| 14.0 stone (196 lb, 89 kg) | 8 ft 0 in (244 cm) | 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) |
| 13.5 stone (189 lb, 86 kg) | 8 ft 2 in (249 cm) | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
| 13.0 stone (182 lb, 82¾kg) | 8 ft 4 in (254 cm) | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| 12.5 stone (175 lb, 79½kg) | 8 ft 6 in (259 cm) | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| 12.0 stone (168 lb, 76¼kg) | 8 ft 8 in (264 cm) | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| 11.5 stone (161 lb, 73¼kg) | 8 ft 10 in (269 cm) | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) |
| 11.0 stone (154 lb, 70 kg) | 9 ft 0 in (274 cm) | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) |
| 10.5 stone (147 lb, 66¾kg) | 9 ft 2 in (279 cm) | 6 ft 8 in (203 cm) |
| 10.0 stone (140 lb, 63¾kg) | 9 ft 4 in (284 cm) | 7 ft 1 in (215 cm) |
| 9.5 stone (133 lb, 60½kg) | 9 ft 6 in (290 cm) | 7 ft 5 in (226 cm) |
| 9.0 stone (126 lb, 57¼kg) | 9 ft 8 in (295 cm) | 7 ft 7 in (231 cm) |
| 8.5 stone (119 lb, 54 kg) | 9 ft 10 in (300 cm) | 7 ft 9 in (236 cm) |
| 8.0 stone (112 lb, 51 kg) | 10 ft 0 in (305 cm) | 8 ft 0 in (244 cm) |
