The fascinating diaries of death penned by Britain's last hangman have been revealed today. Harry Allen, who died aged 81 in 1992, kept a log of prisoners who were executed at prisons in London, Manchester and Leeds. In his journal, he recorded details of each prisoner's age, weight, height and worked out how long the rope needed to be to ensure a swift death. He referred to one hanging with a hindsight about the rope saying: 'Very good job but should have had another two or three inches - very strong.'