Robert Jeremy Adam Inch Catto (27 July 1939 – 17 August 2018) was a British historian who was a Rhodes fellow and tutor in Modern History at Oriel College, Oxford, where he was also senior dean. Catto was a Brackenbury Scholar in History at Balliol College, Oxford, where he graduated with first-class honours.[1] He held a master's degree (M.A.) and a doctorate (D.Phil.) From 1964 to 1969 he was employed as a tutor at Hatfield College, Durham.[2] During this time he became acquainted with Mark Lancaster and Bryan Ferry, who were then art students in nearby Newcastle.
His research interests lay in the politics and religion of later medieval England. In a piece in The Spectator to commemorate his retirement in June 2006, Alan Duncan MP described him as "the quintessential Oxford don ... if one were to devour C. P. Snow, Goodbye, Mr. Chips and Porterhouse Blue, there is a smattering of Catto in each."[3]
He died on 17 August 2018 at the age of 79.[4]