Simon Geoffrey Ingram (31 Jul 1960 - 23 Apr 2024)

In loving memory of Simon Geoffrey Ingram who sadly passed away on 23rd April 2024, aged 63 years.

On the 31st July 1960, Simon was born in the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham. Our parents moved to an apartment in Moseley where my father took a job as a Youth Employment Officer. Simon's brain incurred some damage during a forceps birth which impaired his learning.

My parents moved to Gravesend (Hever Court Road) for another job move and I was born; we played happily in the garden in Singlewell until the move to Lancelot Avenue sometime in 1964.

Our first school was St Nicholas in Strood where we were quick to defend each other from bullies and pupils with a poor understanding of disabilities. Simon was a fierce defender of anyone who picked on me too.

Our destinations began to divide when Simon was accepted into a Special School and he developed a close friendship with a tall lad with Downs Syndrome names Jonathan. We spend may evenings at Jonathans home in Hoo and my mother often helped by collecting Jonathan ands Simon from school in Chatham.

We had some wonderful holidays in Guernsey with our parents, spending our days playing on the beach at L'Eree, Cobo and Vazon Bay and eating egg and chips in the beach cafes. A visit to the German underground hospital was always a treat. Another memorable holiday was at Dymchurch where we travelled on the light railways for day trips. One such trip took us to a beach cafe where to Simons amusement I was served a steak and kidney pie with cream for pudding. We were also (as boys often are) fascinated by the shrunken head in the wax museum on the Isle of Wight.

Simon was a special person who due to a difficult birth faced many challenges in life. He was a gentleman who worked at the Oxford & Cambridge Club in Pall Mall for 30 years. Simon loved history especially of the Royal Navy and British forces in general.

Simon wrote prolifically and exchanged correspondence with many prominent people including Prime Ministers, diplomats and even Princess Diana, all of whom he met in person whilst working as a Front Hall Porter at the Oxford and Cambridge.

My brother Simon was interested in politics and was and a fierce defender of injustices, Simon would often spend many hours reading old versions of Who's Who to place his reading/research into more detailed contexts.

Both my parents Geoffrey and Patricia dedicated much of their lives to looking after Simon, who faced with great courage and dignity many medical challenges throughout his life. Simon was very close to both our parents who supported his growth throughout his life.

Our mother's brother John was also close to Simon and throughout his life maintained contact and engaged (as did I) in his fascination for politics and justice; he often argued that Members of Parliament should have to personally pay the National Debt stating it was there decision making responsibility that they should be answerable for; he employed great logic.

Simon was not a person with a disability but someone of great character who faced all life's challenges with great dignity; never a complaint of his own situation or any regret; our parents taught him well to survive in a challenging world. His daily conversations, loyalty and friendship are a great loss.

Julian

Donations in lieu of flowers, in Simon's memory, would be gratefully received for 'The Friends of The Wisdom Hospice' and may be made online via the link on this page.