Melvyn Le Poidevin

Melvyn Le Poidevin (1939 – 2025) was born in Guernsey to Thomas and Gladys, and evacuated to Glasgow with his mother just before the German invasion, returning after the war. A few years later the family (which now included siblings June and Kenny), emigrated to Wainuiomata in New Zealand, where his sister Sharon was born.

Mel trained to be a teacher in Wellington and taught for a couple of years before spending two years as an English language assistant in France. Then it was on to London where he met and married Alison, and they had a daughter, Jackie, before returning to Guernsey in 1968. Their final move was to Faldouet.

On retirement, Mel worked for the museum service part-time and showed French people round the island.

After Alison died in 1996 he met and married Mary, who died in 2019, after which he moved to a retirement home in Eastbourne.