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

It needed an inspired touch: a young head, a scholar ... someone acquainted with university administration—and preferably possessing real personality.

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 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,[3] one of whom wrote in a book dedicated to the Principal, He was intelligent, scholarly and articulate—we expect that of all Oxford dons—but above that, he was gracious, witty, fair, farsighted, optimistic and compassionate.

Since 1979 he had been working on the world's first full commentary on Robert Burton's The Anatomy of Melancholy, an enormous 17th Century book with hundreds of obscure sources.