Having been well brought up I am always careful to heed the opinions of those older and wiser than myself.  So when it comes to car repair, it's always "by the book".

On the topic of removal and refitting of the clutch slave cylinder, the Jaguar Service Manual is the indisputable authority. It states that the slave cylinder should be unbolted from the bell housing and withdrawn over the clutch actuating arm rod.  It states very clearly that the actuating arm rod should NOT be removed.

Replacement being the reverse of removal, several hours of battle commenced trying to refit the slave cylinder. The last person before me had obviously found it a challenge too; he had only replaced one of the two studs that hold the cylinder body to the bell housing.

After much thought and effort, and feeling that special dread that only one deliberately countermanding a direct order can know, I removed the actuating arm rod.

About 10 minutes later, with much more room to move, I had the slave cylinder refitted and ready to be bled.

Remarkable.