Born at Thringstone, near Loughborough, Leicestershire on 2 February 1859, the fourth child and second son of Henry Blakesley, a gentleman farmer, and his wife Elizabeth Field. He was educated at Trent College and entered Queen's College, Birmingham for his medical education. In 1881 he was appointed assistant medical officer to the Leicester and Rutland Asylum but soon gave up the post for general practice. He became surgeon to the Provident Dispensary and Wyggeston Hospital in Leicester, and in 1889 was elected assistant surgeon to the Leicester Royal Infirmary and Fever Hospital, where he became surgeon in 1901, and having been complimented with the title of consulting surgeon upon his retirement in 1919 on an age limit continued his services by taking charge of the venereal department from 1916 to 1931. In the latter position he did good service by acting as a pioneer in the treatment of syphilis with "606" and of gonorrhoea by modern methods. During the 1914-18 war he served with the rank of major, RAMC(T) and was attached to the 5th Northern General Hospital. He was president of the Leicester Medical Society and of the Leicester division of the British Medical Association. He married Constance Mabel Hurd on 30 April 1895, who survived him with two daughters. Blakesley died suddenly whilst in the Leicester Royal Infirmary on 16 May 1931 and was buried at Leicester. Publications:- Deciduoma malignum, with R Sevestre. *Lancet*, 1902, 2, 22. An account of the origin, development and work of the male venereal clinic at the Royal Infirmary, Leicester. *Brit med J*. 1921, 1, 619.