Simon Temple Meller, Olds 1958-1963 (August 2020)

Simon Meller

Simon was born in Horley, Surrey, the youngest of three brothers who all attended Lancing. After leaving Lancing, Simon read Medicine at the London Hospital, graduating in 1969. He eventually became a consultant Paediatrician at St Helier Hospital, Carshalton, and the Royal Marsden Hospital. Initially, Simon specialised in radiology, but he subsequently developed an interest in paediatric urological diseases and childhood cancer.

While at The London Hospital Simon met and married Cary, who was a nurse. They had 4 children: Dale, Mark and finally the twins, Ben and Adam.

Simon continued to work as a hospital Consultant until 2002, having by this time re-married. He was then granted early retirement on health grounds, which enabled him to pursue his long-standing love of the Law – he had a family background in Law and all three brothers have 'Temple' as their middle name after their grandfather, Richard Temple Meller, who trained in Law at Temple. Simon enrolled in South Bank University and obtained a first-class honours degree in Law, in 2004, and then went on to obtain a Masters in Medical Law and Ethics at King’s. Around this time, he also became interested in medical mediation and he helped set up the Medical Mediation Foundation with its founder and director, Sarah Barclay.

Simon’s other great interest was photography, and even while at Lancing College he was often the 'official' photographer for plays and other social events. In 2000, Simon went to spend 6 months in Christchurch, New Zealand. From that time on, he developed an enduring love of New Zealand and visited whenever he could, always taking beautiful photographs of the amazing scenery.

In 2013, Simon suffered a bleed on the brain. He was very ill but pulled through and ultimately made an excellent recovery. Then, in 2018 further disaster struck when he developed swine flu and again nearly died.

Simon and I had a wonderful life together for nearly 30 years. He was a very loving and devoted husband and father to his four children. His death has come as a great blow but he will be for ever remembered for the loyal and wonderful man that he was.

Dr Jennie Treleaven (Simon’s wife)