Swinging Sixties: The Abolition of Capital Punishment
The abolition of the death penalty in Britain is often seen as a symbol of the permissive 1960s. Instead, it was the result of a decades-long campaign by abolitionists.
At 8am on 13 August 1964, Peter Allen and Gwynne Evans were hanged – Evans at Strangeways in Manchester, Allen at Walton Prison in Liverpool. They were the respective hangmen’s last jobs. The following year Parliament voted to abolish the death penalty. This reform is often seen as emblematic of the 1960s, part of a shift towards a more ‘permissive’ society. However, the abolition of capital punishment did not reflect any sea change in public opinion, which remained firmly opposed to abolition. For abolitionists, the vote had nothing to do with any permissive society; it was the successful end of a long, long campaign.
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