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Denis Blundell

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Sir Denis Blundell
GCMG GCVO KBE QSO
File:Denis Blundell 1934.jpg
Denis Blundell in 1933
12th Governor-General of New Zealand
In office
27 September 1972 (1972-09-27) – 5 October 1977 (1977-10-05)
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime Minister
Preceded bySir Arthur Porritt
Succeeded bySir Keith Holyoake
Personal details
Born(1907-05-29)29 May 1907
Wellington, New Zealand
Died24 September 1984(1984-09-24) (aged 77)
Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Spouse(s)June Halligan, ONZ QSO GCStJ
ProfessionLawyer, diplomat
Military service
AllegianceNew Zealand Army
Branch/service2 NZEF
Years of service1939–1944
RankLieutenant-Colonel
Battles/warsWorld War II

Sir Edward Denis Blundell GCMG GCVO KBE QSO (29 May 1907 – 24 September 1984) was the 12th Governor-General of New Zealand from 1972 to 1977.

Early life and family

Denis Blundell was born in Wellington to Henry Percy Fabian Blundell, grandson of Henry Blundell, founder of The Evening Post[1] and scion of the ancient Lancashire family.

Blundell attended Waitaki Boys' High School and Trinity College, Cambridge. There he read Law and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1929. He never practised in the UK however, and returned to New Zealand in 1930, practising as barrister and solicitor in Wellington. He was a partner in the Wellington law firm of Bell Gully from 1936 to 1968. During World War II he was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 2 NZEF, from 1939 to 1944.

Blundell was President of the Wellington District Law Society in 1951, President of the New Zealand Law Society for six years (1962–1968) and Vice-President of the Law Society of Asia and the Pacific 1966.

Blundell was a talented cricketer, and opened the bowling in first class cricket for Cambridge University as well as for MCC and Wellington.[2] He captained Wellington in the 1934-35 Plunket Shield season, taking 6 for 82 and 5 for 48 in the match against Otago.[3] He was later President of the New Zealand Cricket Board 1959–1962.

He married June Halligan in 1945, with whom he had a son and a daughter.

High Commissioner

Blundell was appointed by Prime Minister Keith Holyoake as High Commissioner for New Zealand in Britain and Ambassador to Ireland in 1968. In 1972 he returned to New Zealand.

Governor-General

Sir Denis Blundell opens Reevedon Home, Levin, on 18 October 1975.

Blundell was appointed in 1972 by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of her Prime Minister Jack Marshall to the office of Governor-General of New Zealand. The Leader of the Opposition, Norman Kirk, did not support the appointment, because of Blundell's friendship with the Prime Minister. At his swearing-in ceremony, the Prime Minister referred to Blundell as "a close personal friend over many years in the law, in the battle of the EEC and in many a battle on the golf-course".[4] Blundell was the first New Zealand-born and resident Governor-General, and his appointment prompted David Lange to say "it sort of made us somehow mortal. A man who was a lawyer and the son of a newspaper publisher could become The Queen in drag."[5]

Blundell was the first Governor-General to appear on the electoral roll, for the 1972 general election, although it is unknown whether he voted (under New Zealand electoral law a citizen is only required to register to vote).[5] In office, Blundell dispensed with the traditional plumed helmet, stating "I'd feel an awful Joe underneath one of those hats."[5] Instead, he wore a plain uniform, and usually only for visits to military bases.[6] His term ended in 1977.

Later life

Blundell died while on holiday at Townsville, Queensland, Australia, in 1984.[7] He was survived by his wife and children.

Awards and honours

Arms

Coat of arms of Denis Blundell
Notes
Sir Denis Blundell's arms are blazoned:
Crest
Two branches of Laurel leaved and fructed Proper an Acorn Argent in front of an Escallop reversed Gules
Escutcheon
Barruly Argent and Sable on a Chief Vert three Pallets Or in front of the centre Pallet a Torteau Gules
Supporters
Dexter: an Owl Proper; Sinister: a Moa Proper
Compartment
All on a compartment comprising a Grassy Mount from which grow New Zealand Fern and Thistles all Proper.
Motto
To Serve with Tolerance

References

Citations

  1. ^ "BLUNDELL, Henry Percy Fabian". Te Ara.
  2. ^ CricInfo profile
  3. ^ Wellington v Otago, 1935-35
  4. ^ Margaret Hayward (1981). Diary of the Kirk Years. AH & AW Reed.
  5. ^ a b c Gavin McLean (November 2006). The Governors: New Zealand's Governors and Governors-General. Dunedin: Otago University Press. ISBN 1-877372-25-0.
  6. ^ "Sir Denis Blundell". NZ History Online. 6 June 2007.
  7. ^ Obituary, Cricketer, November 1984, p. 57.
  8. ^ "No. 46280". The London Gazette. 3 May 1974.

Bibliography

  • The Story of Bell Gully Buddle Weir by Julia Millen (1990, Bell Gully) ISBN 1-86934-026-4
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom
1968–1972 		Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Governor-General of New Zealand
1972–1977 		Succeeded by
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