Denis Blundell
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| Sir Denis Blundell | |
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| In office 27 September 1972 – 5 October 1977 |
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| Prime Minister | Jack Marshall (1972) Norman Kirk (1972 - 1974) Bill Rowling (1974 - 1975) Robert Muldoon (1975 - 1977) |
| Preceded by | Sir Arthur Porritt |
| Succeeded by | Sir Keith Holyoake |
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| Born | May 29, 1907 Wellington,  New Zealand |
| Died | September 24, 1984 (aged 77) Townsville, Queensland,  Australia |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Spouse | June Blundell (nee Halligan) |
| Profession | Lawyer, Diplomat |
Sir Edward Denis Blundell (known as Denis Blundell) GCMG GCVO KBE QSO (1907–1984) was Governor-General of New Zealand from 1972 to 1977.
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[edit] Early life and family
Born in Wellington, Sir Denis attended Waitaki Boys' High School and Trinity College at the University of Cambridge. He studied law and was called to the Bar in England in 1929.
He did not practise in England 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. World War II he was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 2 NZEF, from 1939 to 1944.
He 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.
Sir Denis was a gifted cricketer, and represented New Zealand at international level from 1928 - 1938. He was later President of the New Zealand Cricket Board 1959 - 1962.
He married June Halligan in 1945; they had a son and a daughter.
[edit] High Commissioner
Sir Denis was appointed by Keith Holyoake as High Commissioner for New Zealand in Britain and Ambassador to Ireland in 1968. In 1972 he returned to New Zealand.
[edit] Governor-General
Blundell was appointed in 1972 by the Queen on the advice of her Prime Minister Jack Marshall to the office of Governor-General of New Zealand. Leader of the Opposition, Norman Kirk did not support the appointment, because of Sir Denis' friendship with the Prime Minister. At his swearing-in ceremony, the Prime Minister referred to Sir Denis 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"[1]. His term ended in 1977.
Sir Denis died in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, in 1984.
[edit] References
- ^ Margaret Hayward (1981). Diary of the Kirk Years. AH & AW Reed.
- The Story of Bell Gully Buddle Weir by Julia Millen (1990, Bell Gully) ISBN 1869340264
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Sir Arthur Porritt |
Governor-General of New Zealand 1972–1977 |
Succeeded by Sir Keith Holyoake |
[edit] External links
| Persondata | |
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| NAME | Blundell, Edward Denis |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Viceroy, lawyer, diplomat |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1907 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Wellington ,New Zealand |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1984 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
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