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Fellow Emeritus Peter Rycraft

Posted on 23 September 2023

CMS is much saddened by the news that founding member of the Department of History, Emeritus Fellow Peter Rycraft, passed away last week. Peter was a key figure in the founding and development of Medieval Studies at York and is fondly remembered by the CMS.

As well as teaching York's very first cohort of History students in 1963, Peter Rycraft was a major figure in developing the Centre for Medieval Studies. Peter was not only a renowned specialist in medieval Spanish and Catalan history, but also a noted linguist and Latinist, devising and teaching Latin courses for CMS. His study, Peasant Rebellions, 1400-1600, remains well-known to late medievalists. Many of you who had the privilege of being taught by, and working with, Peter called him an "inspirational" figure, who was generous to colleagues, enormously dedicated to the Department, and always treated his students as individuals. What better tribute than from  Professor Emerita Sarah Rees-Jones: 'A true European and a bibliophile'. 

Peter was predeceased in 2020 by his wife, Ann, archivist at the Borthwick and a fellow-tutor with Peter in CMS. They have two children and I know the thoughts of many colleagues will be with them at this time.