HMS Mull of Galloway, Clyde, April 1948:

The House of Commons have decided by 345 votes to 232 to suspend the death sentence for murder for a trial period of five years.

It is a sensational and unexpected decision and there has been a noisy, almost violent, debate on the mess deck here, some of the mildest sailors coming down against the decision.

I cannot make up my own mind about it. But I know Mrs Van der Elst, the tireless campaigner for abolition, whom I interviewed last year in Armthorpe, will be ecstatic.

The Gazette was quick to follow up the decision, and a reporter has interviewed the "shrewd Doncaster businessman" Stephen Wade who, as deputy to Mr Pierrepoint, has carried out numerous executions as hangman. Some of them, he claims, were "virtually my own neighbours".

The reporter, who has got a scoop in persuading Mr Wade to talk, wrote: "54-year-old Mr Wade fixed steel-blue eyes on me and with determination in his voice said it was wrong the death penalty should be abolished for murderers.

"MPs should have tested public opinion first by means of a nationwide vote."

He has been deputy hangman for 10 years, carrying out more executions than he can remember, so his opinion is worth considering.

"Don't think that because I am now out of work my view has been influenced. Not a bit!" he continued.

"This job has been a sideline, but I know these desperados, they are a menace to society, and should be made to pay the penalty.

"I know the prison officials are against abolition. The ordinary criminal under sentence of two or three years creates enough trouble for them as it is, and every day there are assaults of one kind or another.

"So think of all the extra trouble a murderer could cause during his 15 to 20 years of 'life', at the end of which he will be at liberty to repeat his crime."

He was convinced public opinion was for the death sentence because there was so much more violent crime today. He thought the experimental period would not run its full course.

"I expect I shall be getting a letter from the Home Office saying I am out of a job, but when the Act is repealed I shall tell them I will be ready to take over again," he added.

Mr Wade pooh-poohed the argument that prison staff could not sleep the night before an execution.

"It is absurd. My assistant and I always have a good night's sleep. We go to our specially-prepared beds in a cell at 10pm and sleep soundly until 6.30am. Staff are a bit keyed up but that is because they are anxious that everything should go properly."

When he was 21 he had felt incensed after reading about the brutality of a particular crime and applied for the job of executioner.

"The Home Secretary refused - I was 21, too young.

"But when I was older I tried again and was put on the waiting list.

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