John Blofeld (judge)

For British writer, see John Blofeld (writer).

Sir John Christopher Calthorpe Blofeld DL (11 July 1932 – 30 November 2025) was an English barrister and former High Court judge.

Life and career

Blofeld was born at Hoveton Home Farm in Norfolk. His father was at Eton with Ian Fleming and his surname is believed to have been the inspiration for the name of James Bond supervillain Ernst Stavro Blofeld. He was the elder brother of cricket commentator Henry Blofeld and the father of author Tom Blofeld. He was a distant relative of the cricketer the Hon. Freddie Calthorpe.

He was educated at Sunningdale School, Eton, and King's College, Cambridge.^[1] In 1961 he married Judith A.H. Mitchell (1932–2013), and they lived at Hoveton House, Hoveton.^[2]

Blofeld played cricket for Norfolk against the Kent Second XI in the Minor Counties Championship in 1957.^[3]

He was a High Court judge from 1990 to 2001, assigned to the Queen's Bench Division. In 2000, he was one of the appeal judges to release the M25 Three.^[4] He was Master of the Mercers' Company in 2003.

Blofeld died on 30 November 2025, at the age of 93.^[5]

Motto

Coat of arms of John Blofeld

Motto Domino Quid Reddam [6]