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 ascertain the prisoners build and neck strength. A strong neck would therefore get a slightly longer drop, a flabby one slightly less.
