All that was left of TPR was his black hand-knitted jumper. It was almost as if he had shed this – his ‘shell’ – as his final act before his disappearance.

The only clue to TPR’s whereabouts was a last sighting at a cult meeting in Sheffield. This was not as a member, but as a fierce objector to the movement. Our fear was that he had inadvertently fallen victim to the persuasive powers of the cult leader and was now lost to us forever.

Also in Sheffield, I was furious with colleagues at the University because they decided not to employ AW as a lecturer. This was despite her superb qualifications and a career track record of direct relevance to the job. Without a trace of shame, they openly admitted that they couldn’t bring themselves to work with someone with a Sunderland accent.