Family Background and Early Life
Blythe was born in Acton, Suffolk; he was to be the eldest of six children. His father, who had seen action in the First World War at Gallipoli and in Palestine, came from generations of East Anglian farmers and farm workers. His mother was from London and had worked as a VAD nurse during the war. Blythe can remember as a child seeing the sugarbeet being farmed by men in army greatcoats and puttees.
He was educated at St Peter's and St Gregory's school in Sudbury, Suffolk, and grew up exploring churches, architecture, plants and books. He was, he said, "a chronic reader", immersing himself in French literature and writing poetry.
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