John Bernard Bamborough (3 January 1921 – 13 February 2009) was a British scholar of English literature and founding Principal of

Linacre College, Oxford Linacre College is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. The college was founded in 1962 and is named after Thomas Linacre (1460–1524), founder of the Royal College of Ph ...

. Bamborough was educated at The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in

Elstree Elstree is a large village in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England. It is about northwest of central London on the former A5 road, which follows the course of Watling Street. In 2011, its population was 5,110. It forms part of the ...

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...

and at

New College, Oxford New College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by Bishop William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as New College's feeder school, New College was one of the first col ...

. After serving five years in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

he returned to Oxford as a Fellow of first New College and then

Wadham College Wadham College ( ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located in the centre of Oxford, at the intersection of Broad Street and Parks Road. Wadham College was founded in 1610 by Dorothy Wadham, a ...

, where between 1947 and 1961 he was in succession Dean, Domestic Bursar and Senior Tutor. Bamborough left Wadham to embark on an ambitious project that was to change the shape of the University. As recounted by a former student: The outcome was Linacre College (initially Linacre House), the first Oxford University college to accept only graduate students and the first to admit men and women on an equal basis. Bamborough had the central role in establishing and nurturing the new institution and he remained its Principal until 1988, also serving within the university administration as a member of the

Hebdomadal Council The Hebdomadal Council was the chief executive body for the University of Oxford from its establishment by the Oxford University Act 1854 until its replacement, in the Michaelmas term of 2000, by the new University Council. Chaired by the Vice- ...

from 1961 to 1979 and as Chairman of the General Board of the Faculties from 1964 to 1967. He is fondly remembered by many students and staff, one of whom wrote in a book dedicated to the Principal, After retiring as Principal, Bamborough focused on scholarship. Since 1979 he had been working on the world's first full commentary on

Robert Burton Robert Burton (8 February 1577 – 25 January 1640) was an English author and fellow of Oxford University, known for his encyclopedic ''The Anatomy of Melancholy''. Born in 1577 to a comfortably well-off family of the landed gentry, Burton a ...

The Anatomy of Melancholy ''The Anatomy of Melancholy'' (full title: ''The Anatomy of Melancholy, What it is: With all the Kinds, Causes, Symptomes, Prognostickes, and Several Cures of it. In Three Maine Partitions with their several Sections, Members, and Subsections. Ph ...

, an enormous 17th Century book with hundreds of obscure sources. The final volume of Bamborough's work was published in 2000, nine years before his death. An accommodation building on the main Linacre College site is named in his honour.

Publications

Books * ''The Little World of Man'' (London: Longmans 1952) * ''Ben Jonson'' (London: Longmans 1959) * ''Robert Burton: The Anatomy of Melancholy'' (Oxford: Clarendon Press, six volumes 1989-2000)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bamborough, John Fellows of Linacre College, Oxford Fellows of New College, Oxford Fellows of Wadham College, Oxford Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Pro-vice-chancellors of the University of Oxford People educated at Haberdashers' Boys' School 1921 births 2009 deaths Principals of Linacre College, Oxford Military personnel from London Royal Navy personnel of World War II Royal Navy officers of World War II