Sir Edward Denis Blundell, GCMG,GCVO,KBE,QSO (29 May 1907 – 24 September 1984) was a New Zealand lawyer, cricketer and diplomat who served as the 12th Governor-General of New Zealand from 1972 to 1977.
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 United Kingdom, 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.
He married June Halligan in 1945. They had a son and a daughter.
Cricket career
Blundell was a talented cricketer, and opened the bowling in first-class cricket for Cambridge University, MCC and Wellington.[4] In 1928, in his first first-class match for Cambridge, he took 6 for 25 and 3 for 103 against Leicestershire.[5] He captained Wellington in the 1934–35 Plunket Shield season, taking 6 for 82 and 5 for 48 in the match against Otago.[6] When the MCC toured New Zealand in 1935–36 he was selected in two of the four matches New Zealand played against the tourists, taking six wickets, all of top-order batsmen, at an average of 19.50.[7]
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".[8] 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."[9]
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).[10] In office Blundell dispensed with the traditional plumedhelmet, stating "I'd feel an awful Joe underneath one of those hats."[9] Instead, he wore a plain uniform, and usually only for visits to military bases.[11] His term ended in 1977.
Blundell died while on holiday at Townsville, Queensland, Australia, in 1984.[16] He was buried at Purewa Cemetery in the Auckland suburb of Meadowbank.[17] He was survived by his wife and children.
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.
