Campaigners and friends yesterday were paying homage at the grave of Derek Bentley after the Court of Appeal ruling.
Flowers were placed on the grave at Croydon Cemetery, south London, where he lies next to his sister, Iris. She fought to clear his name following his execution in January 1953, a struggle which family members claim took a serious toll on her health and may have precipitated her early death.
Iris Bentley's friend, Ms Tina Miles, was among the first at the cemetery after the decision by the judges. She said she thought the 45-year campaign to overturn the conviction had helped to ensure that the death penalty would not be reintroduced in Britain.
She described the impact when Derek Bentley was condemned. When he was led to his death "they took the whole family to the gallows with him", she said.
A message on the grave said: "To Derek and Iris, I know it's been a long time coming for the full pardon. Now the day is here I pray you are both together rejoicing. May God forgive those who did this to you. Love Tina."
After the Court of Appeal decision, Liberty, the human rights group, called for "tougher safeguards" to protect against further miscarriages of justice.
A spokesman said: "We're delighted that Bentley has been cleared. But without tougher safeguards for juveniles and mentally vulnerable suspects there is a real risk that even today the criminal justice system will continue to generate further tragic miscarriages of justice."