Charles Polkey was a neurosurgeon who pioneered the surgical treatment of epilepsy[1]. He took up a position at the Maudsley Hospital in London in 1950, succeeding Murray Falconer and continuing his work on the development of temporal lobectomy for the treatment of intractable epilepsy[1]. Polkey and Professor Meyer developed a technique for complete resection of the temporal pole, including deeper brain structures[1]. His group recognized mesial temporal sclerosis as a common pathological cause of epilepsy and, in collaboration with child psychiatrist David Taylor, described focal cortical dysplasia in children with temporal lobectomy[1]. He was also interested in functional neurosurgery and was among the first to perform deep brain stimulation[6]. Colleagues characterized him as humble and quiet, with high self-confidence, while his work was internationally recognized[1]. Polkey devoted himself to his work at the hospital and his contribution was so significant that a ward at King's College Hospital was named after him[6].