Kasabian star's family honours grandad's history

The family of Kasabian frontman Sergio Pizzorno have donated items to a university archive to honour his grandfather, who was elected as a student union president at the age of 50.

Wilf Dillon became president of the University of Leicester Students' Union in 1971 after enrolling on a politics course aged 47, following the sale of his family hosiery business.

Pat Pizzorno, his daughter and Sergio's mother, has donated newspaper cuttings, exam papers and photographs, related to his time at the university.

"Wilf's archive offers a glimpse into the story of an everyday man who lived an extraordinary life," Pat said.

Pat added: "My dad may have appeared to be an ordinary husband and father and yet the impact he had was anything but ordinary.

"Those who knew him will remember not only the man he was but also the guiding light he became in their lives.

"This is celebration of that legacy - a life well lived and of the enduring influence of a remarkable and lovely everyday man."

Dr Simon Dixon, the university's associate director for community and heritage, said the archive was a "treasure trove" of material from Wilf's time at the university.

"We are very grateful to Pat for generously donating the archive," Dixon said.

The university said the archive contained a profile written by Wilf, in which he described himself as a "working class married father of two, and a grandfather, who was locally educated... who set up a manufacturing business from scratch".

It also highlighted his trade union achievements as a chairman of two branches who had led strike action, the university added.

Wilf, who died at the age of 95 in 2017, featured on Kasabian's album 48:13 in a track called (mortis) saying "in mortis ora incerta est" in Latin, which means "the hour of death is uncertain".

In 2014, the university said Sergio wore a T-shirt with Wilfred across the front during Kasabian's Glastonbury headline set, in tribute to his grandfather who was in ill health.

The university said his obituary was penned by friend and fellow Leicester graduate, Esuantsiwa Jane Goldsmith, who followed in Wilf's footsteps to become the first black female student elected as president of the student union in 1975.

"He was a man of many parts; opera-lover, football fanatic, keen sportsman, rambler, mountaineer, ace quiz compiler and devoted father for daughters Pat and Marcia, who talk fondly about how much fun Wilf was as a dad.

"It was a pleasure and a privilege to have known Wilf.

"He was a life-enhancer, and his spirit, energy and dynamism, will go on growing with his memory," she wrote.

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