Once Upon A Crime21 Jul 2025

Hanged: Ruth Ellis and the Price of Passion - Part One: Becoming Ruth

Step into the haunting and captivating story of Ruth Neilson Ellis, the last woman to be executed in the United Kingdom. This Once Upon a Crime original series traces Ruth’s tragic life—from her fragile childhood amid the chaos of World War II, through her rise as a nightclub hostess caught in London’s glamorous yet dangerous underworld, to her devastating fall that culminated in her execution in 1955.

Through historical insights and compelling storytelling, we explore the social and cultural forces that shaped Ruth’s destiny. Discover how a young girl scarred by family abuse, war, and heartbreak navigated a world of glamour, crime, and ultimately, despair.

This series is a powerful reflection on love, loss, and the devastating consequences of passion, raising questions about justice, society’s treatment of women, and the enduring human cost behind the headlines.

Stay Subscribed for Part Two:

Next time, we delve deeper into Ruth Ellis’s life as a nightclub hostess, her tumultuous relationships, and how she fell into London’s seedier side—leading to a shocking climax that would mark her forever as a tragic figure in British history.

Connect With Us:

Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime

Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcast

Support the Show:

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. Your support helps us bring more stories like Ruth’s to life.

Sources:

A Fine Day for a Hanging: The Ruth Ellis Story, Carol Ann Lee, Mainstream Publishing, 2013.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Ellis

https://realcrimes.co.uk/ruth-ellis-jealousy-rejection-and-a-hanging/

https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/ruth-ellis-real-story-last-woman-hanged-murder-a-cruel-love-b1141748.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20141204212735/http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/women/ellis/5.html

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/sep/12/ukcrime.claredyer

https://www.hampshirelive.news/news/history/woman-hanged-ruth-ellis-hampshire-4192091

https://www.crimemagazine.com/ruth-ellis-love-lust-and-death-gallows

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(435)

"I don't like Mondays” - Brenda Spencer.

On January 29, 1979, sixteen-year-old Brenda Spencer opened fire on ClevelandElementary School in San Diego, California, killing two school employees and woundingeight children and a police officer. W...

3 Nov 42min

Gregorio “Goyo” Cardenas: The Tacuba Strangler | With Jack Luna of Dark Topic

Can a serial killer truly be rehabilitated, or can a clever murderer simply convince the world that he's changed?In this special episode of Once Upon a Crime, Esther welcomes back Jack Luna, host and ...

26 Okt 1h 15min

The Oracle's Daughter: Inside an American Cult

How does a free-spirited hippie become the authoritarian leader of a religious cult? And why do ordinary people remain loyal to dangerous leaders, even when faced with abuse, isolation, and fear?This ...

19 Okt 46min

Rocktober: Axl Rose — Welcome to the Nightmare

Before he became the legendary—and notoriously volatile—frontman of Guns N’ Roses, Axl Rose was a troubled kid from Lafayette, Indiana, with a childhood marked by family secrets, abuse, and rebellion....

12 Okt 38min

Axl Rose, American Cults & Mexico’s ‘Reformed’ Serial Killer - Welcome to Spooky Season on Once Upon a Crime!

Axl Rose, American Cults & Mexico’s ‘Reformed’ Serial Killer - Welcome to Spooky Season on Once Upon a Crime! Spooky Season has arrived on Once Upon a Crime! October is Esther’s favorite month, and t...

5 Okt 4min

Taylor Parker — Deadly Deception

Taylor Parker presented herself as a hardworking Texas country girl, a devoted girlfriend, an heiress to a family fortune—and soon, an excited mother-to-be.There was just one problem.Much of it wasn't...

28 Sep 37min

Mackenzie Shirilla: Behind the Image — The True Story Behind Netflix’s “The Crash”

In July 2022, 17-year-old Mackenzie Shirilla was behind the wheel of a car that slammed into a brick building in Strongsville, Ohio, at nearly 100 miles per hour. Her boyfriend, 20-year-old Dominic “D...

21 Sep 41min

BONUS: Why Did They Stay? Inside the Sedona Sweat Lodge Tragedy: A Discussion with Author Annette McGivney

In this bonus episode, Esther shares the complete interview with journalist Annette McGivney, author of Plastic Shaman: The True Story of a Deadly Self-Help Retreat and America’s Misguided Quest for W...

18 Sep 1h