Jeremy Lawson was a highly respected paediatric surgeon being on the consultant staff of three London hospitals, namely St Thomas’, Westminster Children’s and Great Ormond Street (honorary). He also had an attachment to Queen Mary’s Hospital, Roehampton. He was born in London on 1 July 1927, the son of John Lawson and Olwen Lawson née Brooke. He was educated at King’s School, Canterbury and in 1947 proceeded with a Kitchener scholarship to St Mary’s Hospital Medical School, from where he graduated MB BS in 1953. As an undergraduate he sailed for United Hospitals Sailing Club and also played water polo. After house jobs, he did National Service in the RAMC, being posted to the British Military Hospital, Rinteln in Germany and then Queen Alexandra’s Military Hospital, Millbank. After demobilisation, he underwent training in general surgery in Windsor and at the Brompton Hospital, before deciding on a career in paediatric surgery, then a fledgling specialty, working as both a registrar and senior registrar at Great Ormond Street Hospital. In this training, he was greatly influenced by David Innes Williams, Harold Nixon and David Waterston. He was appointed as a consultant in 1971. Although carrying out the whole range of paediatric surgery, Jeremy Lawson was best known for his interest in the colon and rectum, especially Hirschprung’s disease and constipation in childhood. He published several papers on this subject and also contributed chapters in textbooks. He was a meticulous technician and much admired by his trainees for his excellent surgical technique. In private life, he was interested in sailing, art, architecture and antiques. Quietly spoken and always impeccably dressed in a dark three-piece suit and stiff white collar, he was devoted to his family. Married to Caroline (née Mitchell) in 1955, he had a son, Richard, two daughters, Amanda and Johanna, and five grandchildren. In his last year, he developed dementia and died on 17 July 2018 aged 91.