'Sunbeam Weekly and the Pilgrim's Pocket' by Peter McLean

Walking along the Thames Path, through Rotherhithe, you will discover Cumberland Wharf. It is a small park with circular seating areas and plenty of trees. Below is Rotherhithe Beach.

In the northwest corner is a statue, erected in 1991, of a boy dressed in 1930s attire, his dog and a pilgrim father. Which makes sense, as it is close to this spot that the Mayflower set sail for Southampton, on September 16, 1620, before heading to the New World.

The statue depicts the ghost of a Pilgrim Father, William Bradford, then Governor of the New Plymouth Colony, looking in horror over the boy's shoulder at what has happened within the New World, since his death. 

The comic, called 'Uncle Pete and Kev's Sunbeam Weakly' (I think this should have read 'weekly') depicts things like automobiles, aeroplanes, an eagle, cowboys, the Empire State Building, rockets, the Statue of Liberty and much more Americana. This comic did exist, from 1936-1940.

On the back of the comic are depictions of the Mayflower and the Pilgrim Fathers.

The dog, a Staffordshire bull terrier, stood on its hind legs, appears to be trying to look at the comic, too.

In the ghost's pocket are an A-Z dated 1620, a crucifix, a lobster claw, a Native American totem pole and more. But, no bible.

At the boys feet is the head of a hammer, a paint brush, a pair of pliers, a pair of scissors and what could be a cutthroat razor or knife.

Peter McLean is a local artist who was commissioned to create the piece in 1991, by the London Dockland Development Corporation. He was helped in this task by his assistant Kevin Bolger.

Over the years, since its erection, the lamppost lost its lamp and the information board degraded so much that it became illegible. 

Fortunately, in 2017, a new information board was installed along with a new lamp, which now makes it possible to see the details within the comic, and the larger statue as a whole, more easily.

There are many more details, to see and discover, that it is definitely worthwhile seeking out this statue to see what you can uncover.

The Mayflower public house, just 70 metres (230 feet) from Cumberland Wharf, is a wonderful little pub, offering a variety of food and a great selection of drinks. 

Although there has been a pub on this site since the 1550s, it only became the Mayflower in 1958.

You can read more about the Mayflower by clicking the link below.

Mayflower public house