Sir John Anthony Cecil Tilley GCMG GCVO CB PC (January 1869 – 5 April 1952)[1] was a British diplomat.

[6] Before being awarded a scholarship to Eton, Tilley attended a preparatory school at Thorpe Mandeville, Northamptonshire,[6] and on 8 October 1887 entered King's College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1890, proceeding MA in 1894.

[1][10] In 1893, Tilley took the Foreign Office examination and was appointed to the only available vacancy, where he was assigned as a junior to the Eastern Department "…dealing with the affairs of the Near and Middle East, including Russia, the Turkish Empire and Egypt.

As Chief Clerk, Tilley was appointed to this committee which resulted in the merger of the Diplomatic and Foreign Office Services and for the first time, allowances were paid to men serving abroad.

[12] Sir John attended Buckingham Palace on 21 December 1920, where he was sworn of his Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council of the United Kingdom and took his place on the board accordingly.

[6] Tilley and his family left Japan on 18 October 1930 taking a long journey via a number of countries home, into retirement.

[6] In retirement, he lived at Felsham House, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and was appointed a Justice of the Peace for the county.