The bronze statue of Alfred Salter sat on a bench in Bermondsey, waving to the statue of his daughter Photo: Jim Linwood / flickr CC
Salter statue stolen
Theft of Alfred Salter statue in Bermondsey
A statue of one of the twentieth century’s most prominent Quakers has been stolen from a park in Bermondsey. The bronze statue of Alfred Salter, a doctor, politician and social reformer, disappeared on 18 November.
The incident follows a rise in thefts of metal that can be sold for scrap. In addition to lead thefts from church roofs, metal has been stolen from train lines, which has at times caused disruption to services. Winchmore Hill Meeting House in London has been targeted four times by lead thieves.
Alfred Salter was a Quaker socialist who set up his own medical practice in 1900. He offered treatment free of charge for those unable to pay. As Labour MP for Bermondsey from 1922-1945, he campaigned for the introduction of the National Health Service and freedom for British colonies. He spoke out against the bombing of German civilians during World War Two.
His name lives on in the Salter Lecture, an annual event run by the Quaker Socialist Society.
The area’s current MP, Simon Hughes, said that local people are very angry about the theft. He described Salter as ‘the greatest of our MPs in the last century’.
Comments
There’s a campaign being launched here in Bermondsey to bring home how important Ada and Alfred Salter were. Eventually, it’s hoped to fund-raise enough money for a new statue, this time including Alfred’s wife, Ada. She’s rather unjustly neglected, considering she was the first woman borough councillor in Britain and first woman mayor in London. She covered Bermondsey in trees and flowers and campaigned for world peace. If Friends wish to help, they can go to Ada Salter’s Facebook link and like” it, so she gets more recognition. The link is: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ada-Salter/184825278285812?sk=wall”
By grahamtaylor on 28th February 2012 - 21:48
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