Children from a Bermondsey secondary have starred in a film about local heroes – on the site where the daughter of a revered MP and his wife attended school.
Compass School in Bermondsey, joined up with Ocean City Media to produce a short film as part of the Salter Centenary celebrations.
Ada Salter was the first female mayor of Bermondsey, her husband Alfred the doctor and MP for the area; tragically their little daughter Joyce died of scarlet fever.
‘ADA’, written by Sarah May, describes how the Salters’ work benefited the Bermondsey community, which included increasing the number of green spaces in the area and encouraging high aspiration for all.
“The film captures the legacy of Ada Salter through the eyes of her daughter, Joyce, as she travels through time witnessing the changing landscape of Bermondsey,” Ben May, head of drama at Compass explained.
“From improvements in housing to the beautification of Bermondsey and opportunities for young women, our film celebrates the extraordinary vision and legacy of Ada.”
Compass school kids smile behind the scenes (photo: Sam Smith)
This year marks 100 years since Ada Salter was elected as Bermondsey Mayor and her husband, Alfred Salter, became an MP.
Sheila Taylor, Coordinator of the Salter Centenary, was the person who first put the idea to the school when she mentioned that Joyce Salter went to school on the site where Compass School stands today. Joyce died from scarlet fever at just eight-years-old, which inspired her parents’ work to improve public health.
Tragically, Keeton Road School was destroyed in the first night of the Blitz and later it was home to Scott Lidgett boys’ school, briefly taken over by Southwark College before becoming Compass School. The site is now undergoing mayor redevelopment, but Compass will remain within the new scheme.
“I never dreamt that the sadness of Joyce’s death could inspire such a beautiful little film,” Sheila said.
“To see her come alive and play with kids who would have been her classmates at Keeton’s Road School brought tears to my eyes!”
She came to the launch last week with husband, Graham Taylor, local historian and author of ‘Ada Salter: Pioneer of Ethical Socialism’ (2016). Graham wrote the book after learning that Ada’s local contribution had often been overlooked next to her husband’s work.
Marcus Huntley, Principal of Compass School said: “When Sheila first came we weren’t sure what our role would be – this film was perfect. Another thing she told us about, was that Ada Salter had started chess clubs. So we recently started one too. We want to make sure the Salter legacy will continue to live on through this and our history. The school is incredibly proud to play its part in the Salter Centenary celebrations.
“We are committed to ensuring the Salter legacy continues through our history curriculum, ensuring pupils continue to engage in a fantastic range of enrichment opportunities including our new Ada Salter-inspired Chess Club, and placing “community” at the heart of our mission.”