Just over three years since the theft of the statue of Dr Alfred Salter from Bermondsey Wall East, the whole family –  including a new statue of Ada Salter – is now returned to the riverside.

The new statues have been created by the original artist Diane Gorvin.

Sunday afternoon’s unveiling ceremony featured speeches by Southwark’s deputy mayor Cllr Neil Coyle, council leader Cllr Peter John and Rt Hon Simon Hughes MP.

According to the council leader, the new Ada Salter statue is the first statue of a female politician to be erected in London.

In his speech, Simon Hughes MP called for  Southwark Council to name a new school in the borough after Ada Salter to complement the existing Alfred Salter Primary School.

Johanna Crawshaw, Dr Salter’s grandniece, unveiled the replacement statue of the legendary Bermondsey MP.

Ada Salter’s statue was unveiled by Nick Hudson and Janet Kendall, grandnephew and grandniece of Bermondsey’s first woman Mayor.

Dr Ruth Wallis, director of public health for Lambeth and Southwark, removed the cover from the statue of young Joyce Salter which has been in storage since the theft of her father’s statue three years ago.

Maisie Carter and her grandson Archie unveiled the sculpture of the Salter family cat which has been returned to its place on the river wall.

Other guests at the event included peace campaigner Bruce Kent and the deputy lieutenant for Southwark, Jenny Bianco.

An exhibition of photographs of the Salters was displayed after the ceremony in the nearby church of St Peter & the Guardian Angels.