Southwark offers £1,000 reward following Salter statue theft

Vandals ripped out the statue of health pioneer Dr Alfred Salter from the ground in Cherry Garden Pier in Bermondsey where it had been a popular local landmark for the last 20 years.

The statue - valued at around £17,500 - had been erected in celebration of Dr Salter's leading work helping the poor in in London at the beginning of the 20th century.

It comes as soaring prices for copper, lead and bronze has meant that everything from railway lines, phone lines and even war memorials have been targeted by thieves across the country in recent years.

Southwark Council today issued an urgent appeal for anyone with information on the theft  to come forward so the statue can be recovered and returned to the community.

Cllr Richard Livingstone, cabinet member for community protection, said: "We are shocked that thieves have stolen the statue of Dr Alfred Salter who did so much to serve the people of Bermondsey both as a local GP and an MP.

"His statue was a well known local landmark and was a fitting tribute to a man who devoted his life to help others. I have always found him an inspiration and I couldn't walk past the statue without reflecting on all the good he did.

"We're offering a £1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people who stole the statue in the hope that the offenders will be swiftly brought to justice."

Titled "Dr Salter's Daydream", the statue was created by artist Diane Gorvin and unveiled by Lord Mellish of Bermondsey in May 1991

It depicts Dr Salter in his old age sitting on a bench and waving to a bronze statue of his daughter Joyce who is with a bronze statue of her cat nearby. Joyce died age nine from scarlet fever and the statue shows Dr Salter in happier times.

The council said it had now removed these other two bronze statues and stored them in a secure location for the time being.

Dr Salter was born in 1873 and studied medicine at Guy's Hospital before setting up his own medical practice in Bermondsey in 1900 where he offered his services free of charge for those unable to pay.

One of the many good works he did was to successfully campaign for a solarium to treat tuberculosis sufferers of which at the time there were hundreds in Bermondsey. Children were even sent to recuperate in Switzerland, as the fresh mountain air aided their recovery.

In 1903 Dr Salter was elected to Bermondsey Council and in 1922 he was elected MP for Bermondsey and held the seat until he stood down at the 1945 election shortly before his death.

Sharing his passion for social justice, Dr Salter's wife, Ada, become the first female London councillor in 1910 and in 1922 she became Mayor of Bermondsey,.

Southwark Council is offering the reward for information provided to the council or the police that leads to the arrest and conviction for this specific incident in Bermondsey.

The statue was stolen on Friday evening (18th November).

Anyone with information should contact the council on 020 7525 1501 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.