David Blomfield Explained

David Blomfield
Birth Date:11 July 1934
Birth Place:Camberley, Surrey, England
Death Date:12 July 2016 (aged 82)
Death Place:Kew, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England
Education:Wellington College
Alma Mater:University of Oxford (MA in Classics)
Kingston University (PhD in History)
Occupation:book editor, writer, local councillor, community representative and local historian
Resting Place:Richmond Cemetery
Nationality:British
Spouse:Caroline
Children:3
Awards:Member of the Order of the British Empire 2000

David Guy Blomfield (11 July 1934 – 12 July 2016) was leader of the Liberal Party group on Richmond upon Thames Council, a writer, a book editor and a local historian.

Early life and education

David Blomfield was born in Camberley, Surrey. His parents were Valentine Blomfield, a British Army officer, and his wife, Gladys (née Lang), who had been a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse at Richmond's Star and Garter Home in the First World War.[1] His father's family was descended from the Anglican bishops Charles James Blomfield and Alfred Blomfield and the architect Sir Reginald Blomfield.[2]

He was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire and served in the Royal Artillery and the Oxfordshire Yeomanry.[3] He studied classics at Hertford College, Oxford University and graduated in 1955.[3] [4]

Career

Blomfield worked in the condensed books department of Reader's Digest from 1959 to 1987 and subsequently became a freelance book editor.[3]

He was elected to represent Kew ward on Richmond upon Thames Council from 1971 to 1978 and then from 1979 to 1986.[3] As leader of the Liberal group he was Leader of the Opposition on Richmond upon Thames Council in 1978.[5]

Blomfield, who researched, wrote and published books on the history of Kew, chaired the Richmond Local History Society from 2003 to 2013, edited its annual journal Richmond History and succeeded John Cloake in 2015 as the Society's President.[6] He was also a patron of the Kew Society[7] and a past chairman of the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond.[5]

Honours and awards

He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2000.[3]

Personal life

He lived in Kew, London[3] with his wife Caroline, with whom he had three children (two sons and a daughter). He died on 12 July 2016, a day after celebrating his 82nd birthday.[8]

Publications

Books

Articles

Notes and References

  1. A Century of Caring: Nurses at the Heart of what we do . Connections . . Autumn 2016 . 7 . 17 July 2017.
  2. Book: Johnson, Malcolm . Bustling Intermeddler? The life and Works of Charles James Blomfield . Gracewing . 2001. 16 July 2017. 9780852445464. x.
  3. News: David Blomfield obituary . Grossman, Wendy . Wendy M. Grossman . The Guardian. 22 August 2016 . 16 July 2017.
  4. The Man in the Iron Mask . Hertford College News. MacDonald . Roger . Spring–Summer 2005. 12. 16 July 2017.
  5. Tonge, Jenny . Jenny Tonge . Autumn 2016. 16 July 2017 . Tribute to David Blomfield MBE . The Kew Society Newsletter.
  6. Web site: David Blomfield 1934–2016 . Smith . Robert . Richmond Local History Society. July 2016. 23 September 2018.
  7. Web site: David Blomfield . Brock . Caroline . 13 July 2016 . 16 July 2017. The Kew Society.
  8. News: Remembering historian and former history society president David Blomfield, who died last week . Odling . George . Richmond and Twickenham Times. 24 July 2016. 16 July 2017.