Editing Stephen Wade (executioner) (section)

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'''Stephen Wade''' (14 December 1887 – 22 December 1956) was one of England's [[executioner]]s from 1940 until 1955. He assisted [[Thomas Pierrepoint|Tom]] and [[Albert Pierrepoint]] on 31&nbsp;occasions and also carried out 28&nbsp;executions as principal executioner.

One of his first assignments was on 31 October 1942, assisting [[Albert Pierrepoint]] in his first execution as a senior, that of Antonio Mancini at [[HMP Pentonville]]. After the Second World War, he worked for a time at a [[Coach (bus)|coach]] dealership in his home town of [[Doncaster]]. His first execution as principal executioner was the hanging of Arthur Charles at [[HMP Durham]] on 26 March 1946. Following this, he was usually selected by the Sheriff of Yorkshire for executions at [[Leeds (HM Prison)|HMP Armley]] from 1947 onwards. The execution of Walter Sharpe (aged 20) took place at the prison on 30 March 1950, when he was assisted by [[Harry Allen (executioner)|Harry Allen]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chrishobbs.com/murdernov16.htm|title = Murder on November 16th}}</ref>

His final assignment was the execution of Alec Wilkinson (aged 22), whom he [[hanged]] at Leeds on 12&nbsp;August 1955. Wade's assistant at this execution was [[Robert Leslie Stewart]]. Wilkinson had been convicted of murdering Clara Farrell, his mother-in-law.

Wade died in [[Doncaster]] Royal Infirmary, of [[stomach cancer]], shortly after his 69th birthday.<ref>{{Harvnb|Fielding|2008|p=209}}</ref>