Jeffery Tillett began a Master’s course in the Department of English Literature at the University of Sheffield in the early 1970s, and started work on a thesis about the literary contribution of Charles Darwin, under the supervision of Professor Ian Mackillop. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete the course. He was born on 1st January 1928, and became an English teacher, later a county councillor, leader of Derby city council, and the first mayor of Derby city. He died on 4th April 2008.