High Court judge and namesake of James Bond’s nemesis dies aged 93 |
Sir John was a notable figure in his own right but was also known for being the elder brother of cricket commentator Henry Blofeld and the father of author Tom Blofeld.
He was also a distant relative of the cricketer, Freddie Calthorpe.
Sir John Blofeld and Lady Blofeld in 2010 (Image: Bob Hobbs)
Born on July 11, 1932, John Christopher Calthorpe Blofeld was the second of three children of Tom and Grizel Blofeld,.
He grew up at Hoveton on the family’s estate near Wroxham, which the Blofeld’s had owned since the 17th century when they married into the Doughty family, who had owned it for 200 years before that.
Not to be confused with the 19th century Hoveton Hall, Hoveton House was built by Sir John's ancestor Thomas Blofeld in 1680 and was long regarded as one of Norfolk’s architectural jewels.
Sir John’s grandfather – also called John – suffered a horrible death from anthrax which he had picked up from a cow on the estate in 1920.
His grandmother stayed on in the big house, so he and his siblings were all brought up at nearby Home Farm.
As a schoolboy at Sunningdale in Ascot, the young John gained a reputation as a formidable prefect, along with his contemporary Peter Scaramanga.
The film set of You........