Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) the hanging day, the day of execution.

1653		Mercurius Democritus 5-12 Oct. 605: He is to be soundly salted and seasoned till next Paddington Faire, that he and the rest of his Seditious Crew may give their Father Old Nick a break-fast at Hide Park corner.
1659		Mercurius Democritus 20-27 July 74: He was conveig’d to the University of Newgate, there to learn his lesson against Paddington Fair Day where he [...] will sacrifice the precious plumb of his life.
1661		Mercurius Democritus 28 May 10: No way of safety’s left him, then repair / To Paddington he may for help next fair.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Paddington-Fair, c. an Execution of malefactors at Tyburn.
1719		A. Smith Lives of Most Notorious Highway-men, etc. (1926) II [as cit. c.1698].
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Paddington fair day an execution day, Tyburn being in the parish, or neighbourhood of Paddington.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.

hanging, death by hanging; often as dance the Paddington frisk.

1747		Life and Character of Moll King 20: This Fellow, with his wagging Nod, it’s hop’d, will, some Time or other, die of a Suffocation in the Road to Paddington.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

the gallows at Tyburn (near Paddington).

c.1780

Correct List of the Sporting Ladies [broadsheet] Two of her [i.e. a prostitute’s] Stallions having lately had the Misfortune to lose their Lives, by having their Collars too tight to the Paddington nevergreen Tree .

the hood that is pulled over the condemned man’s head before the hanging.

1937–84

Partridge DSUE (1984) 847/2: early C.19.