Paul and Diana Lamplugh in 2000
Sometimes we have no right to expect somebody to be brave. Sometimes the awfulness of an event should crush a person’s spirit and we have no right or expectation to believe they will ever recover. Such was the blow which befell Diana Lamplugh on a sunny July day in 1986. Her daughter was, Suzy Lamplugh, the 25-year-old London estate agent who went to meet a client known only as "Mr Kipper", and was never seen again.
Police search for clues after Suzy's disappearance in 1986
Suzy's body was never found. She was declared dead in 1994, and finally, in 2002, the police named a convicted murderer and rapist, John Cannan, as her likely killer, but they neither obtained a confession, nor brought him to trial. Cannan denied involvement. A year later, after a severe stroke, Diana was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and spent the rest of her life in care. Her husband, who survives her, visited her daily. The great sadness is in her final years Diana lost all memory of Suzy, whose name she kept alive by founding The Suzy Lamplugh Trust which campaigns to improve personal safety, particularly on public transport. It is an important campaigning organisation which has increased awareness and changed attitudes and Diana’s contribution was to ensure that from the evil of Suzy’s disappearance good would flow. She died peacefully today and this statement was issued by The Suzy Lamplugh Trust which she founded.
Suzy Lamplugh
“Diana Lamplugh OBE died peacefully in her sleep this morning after suffering a second massive stroke. This followed the first stroke in 2003 and a nine year battle with Alzheimer’s.
After the disappearance of her daughter, Suzy, in 1986, Diana and her husband, Paul, founded Suzy Lamplugh Trust and for over sixteen years she was the powerhouse behind this well-known national charity for personal safety. She received her OBE in 1992.
Paul Infield, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, said:
“Diana was one of those people who contributed energy, focus and commitment to everything she did. With her husband, Paul, she was tireless in establishing, through the Trust, the concept of and discipline for personal safety – now a household expression – as a positive life skill for people of all ages and occupations. All responsible organisations now have a personal safety policy.
“Her message is as relevant today as when she started campaigning following Suzy’s disappearance. Whilst she will be sorely missed, the trustees and staff of the Trust are determined that our work will continue to fulfil Diana’s vision of improving people’s personal safety by giving them the knowledge and skills to enable them to live life to the full – avoiding aggression and violence.”
A charismatic speaker and tireless campaigner, Diana led the Trust in successfully campaigning for changes in law and procedures regarding safer working practices; safe travel in minicabs; safer travel on trains and safer stations; safer car parks; the treatment and sentencing of sex offenders; helping vulnerable young people and victims of crime; protection from stalking and harassment, treatment of young offenders and many others. She received for her work Honorary Doctorates from four Universities.
It is a credit to the groundwork she laid during the early years that the Trust – which celebrates its 25 Anniversary this year – continues to be a well- respected and active charity, continuing and expanding the work that Diana started.”
"Diana will be sorely missed by her husband Paul, her children Richard, Tamsin and Lizzie, her seven grandchildren, as well as the rest of her family and friends."
In 1999, Libby Purves wrote this of Diana’s legacy:
“….the Trust is a national asset, its influence nationwide, its renown and awards international…..the work of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust has made us feel less, not more, afraid.”
I had met Diana Lamplugh and felt the full force of her campaigning zeal. For many years I looked after (amongst other stuff) the finances of an Area of the British Transport Police. It was due to have an inspection by the HMIC – Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. This provides the quality assurance for the Police Service in England and Wales. I was asked to provide an overview of the budgeting process and how resources were prioritised. So about a week before the “Inspection” I met the Inspector’s Staff Officer who did the prelimary fact-finding. So a week later I was ushered in to meet the Inspector and present my piece. This being the Police it was somewhat formal, indeed to the point of reminding me of a Court Martial where I was the defendant!
I sat alone and facing me was a table with three people behind it. The Inspector who was a former Chief Constable in full formal uniform with his baton and cap on the table, his Staff Officer similarly attired and a middle aged lady with glasses, none other than Diana Lamplugh as the civilian member of the Police Committee. Well I got into my stride and emphasised our view that when a passenger bought a ticket part of what they were buying was an expectation of a safe journey. I outlined the budget drivers, our partnership approach with the Police, the resources and support we made available to them over many years (far more than elsewhere in the industry), our integrated control centre with the Police and our drive for increased efficiency and maximising visible front line policing.
It was all going well, probably too well when I was mugged by Diana. “Well Mr. C” she intoned in her quiet but insistent voice “that is all very well but as we speak there are hundreds of foreigners arriving at Waterloo Station (then the Eurostar Terminus) not speaking a word of English and being prey to every mugger and pickpocket in London. And at a time like that you want to cut the Police Budget. It is madness I tell you! Madness!” With the suggestion of my putative insanity ringing in my ears I argued back making the point that we were actually looking for more bangs for our bucks tackling bad practice and we wanted more resources devoted to what passengers were telling us was important to them. After an hour my session with HMIC was over and I left exhausted feeling I had done at least 15 rounds. To compound my feeling I knew Diana was at a reception with our Managing Director later that evening and I was imagining the conversation “Well Denis, he seemed nice enough in an Irish sort of way but what he was proposing was MAD, MAD I tell you!” Strangely I must have got my points across for when the HMIC report was published I was commended in it and received a letter of thanks from the Area Commander. Indeed, what was even stranger was I was the only Finance Officer commended and I was the only one who didn’t actually work for the Force!
As for Diana I remember her passion and insistence that personal safety came first. Not for her the quiet consensus or the reliance on CCTV so loved of the Police as “evidence”, to Diana that was irrelevant to her what was important was the passenger’s security first and foremost. With her evangelical zeal and singular focus she reminded us and society at large what our duty of care really was and she both set the agenda and stimulated the debate.
To have found such strength from the horror of her daughter’s abduction and murder required real courage and bravery and these were qualities Diana Lamplugh had by the bucket load. This makes even sadder her decline in her final years which robbed us of such an effective advocate. It should also be remembered that she was supported in those years by her Solicitor husband Paul who was very much a co-partner with Diana in setting up the Trust in their daughter’s name and driving forward its agenda. She will be sorely missed but the campaign and work she started continues.
Diana Lamplugh OBE, Personal Safety Campaigner, died 18th August 2011, aged 75.
This is the site of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust which will continue Diana Lamplugh’s work;
http://www.suzylamplugh.org
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