About Sir Denis Blundell

Sir 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.

He was a talented cricketer and opened the bowling in first-class cricket for Cambridge University, MCC and Wellington. In 1928, in his first first-class match for Cambridge, he took 6 for 25 and 3 for 103 against Leicestershire. He captained Wellington in the 1934–35 Plunket Shield season, taking 6 for 82 and 5 for 48 in the match against Otago.] 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.

Sir Denis Blundell was President of the New Zealand Cricket Board from 1959 to 1962.

He 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.

He 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. 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”. He was the first New Zealand-born and resident Governor-General.

As Governor-General, Blundell was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George and Knight of the Order of St John in 1972, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order in 1974, and Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for public service in 1977.

Sir Denis Blundell