Henry Nott and his 26-year-old wife Gladys lived in Hanham Woods, near Bristol, and saw a lot of their two neighbours Arthur Franklin, 42, and his brother who lived together at their smallholding. But before long Nott began to suspect that his wife was seeing too much of Arthur Franklin, and he was right.

In November 1933 she left her home and moved in with the Franklin brothers, her husband obtaining custody of their young son who visited his mother at weekends.

By the time 18 months had passed, however, Gladys Nott’s feelings had changed. She felt she had made a mistake and decided to return to her husband. On MAY 8th, 1935, she packed her bags and left the Franklins’ home, but she had gone no more than a few steps when her lover shot her in the back.

Her scream was heard by her husband, and a second shot rang out as he ran to the scene. Arthur Franklin had fired at her again as she lay helpless on the ground. Then as Nott arrived, Franklin raised his shotgun and said he would kill him too.

Nott turned to run home for his gun, pursued by Franklin who reloaded as he ran, firing a third shot which struck Nott as he reached his house. Then, closing in on him, Franklin repeated that he would kill him. But he had run out of ammunition, and when two women arrived he told them he had shot the Notts, admitting this again when the police arrested him.

Charged with Gladys Nott’s murder, Franklin pleaded guilty at Gloucester Assizes a month later and he was hanged at Gloucester Prison on June 25th, 1935.