Born on 22 June 1888, son of Dr Arthur John Jefferson of Rochdale and younger brother of Sir Geoffrey Jefferson, he was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Manchester University, where he shared the Dumville surgical prize with J S B Stopford. Qualifying in 1911 with the conjoint diploma and the London MB, in which he gained honours and distinction in medicine, he was appointed house surgeon to A H Burgess at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, later becoming a surgical registrar, having studied for a period at Guy's Hospital. On the outbreak of war in 1914 he joined the 1/3rd Field Ambulance RAMC in the 42nd division and proceeded to Egypt, where he acted as surgical specialist in the Citadel Military Hospital in Cairo. In 1915 his father became seriously ill and he was demobilised, returning to England to assist his father as a general practitioner surgeon. In 1916 he was appointed surgeon to the Rochdale Infirmary, and in 1939 he gave up general practice and became a consultant, working at the Rochdale Infirmary and Birchill hospital. He also at one time was visiting surgeon at Oldham Municipal Hospital and Boundary Park Hospital, Oldham. During 1948 to 1951 he was a member of the surgical advisory committee of the Manchester Regional Board and in 1948 President of the Manchester Medical Society. A highly respected and capable surgeon, it was always felt that fate had dealt him an unkind blow by forcing him into general practice as a result of the premature death of his father. He married Freda Stott but died without issue. Jefferson died in Rochdale on 22 September 1954, the day following the award to him of the Freedom of Rochdale.