In the small town of Hillingdon which shares its name with the outer London borough, Norah Summerfield, 60, used to live before she was battered to death in her bungalow in Harlington Road.
That was on New Years Eve, 1958, and Norah lay where she fell for 48 hours before her body was discovered. Neighbours were stunned she was a happy-go-lucky soul known variously as The Merry Widow and The Cider Queen after her favourite tipple.
Her attackers, Joseph Chrimes and Ronald Pritchard, had broken into her house to steal a clock, a cigarette case, a few spoons and other trivial items. Each blamed the other for the murder.
The prosecution claimed that Chrimes struck the fatal blow with a tyre lever, but both men were charged with murder. At their trial no evidence was offered against 18-year-old Pritchard, who then testified against Chrimes.
Pritchard was sent to borstal for his part in the robbery. Chrimes merely smirked as he was sentenced to death. He was executed on APRIL 28th, 1959.