Blomfield was born at Bury Street Edmunds, the second son of the six children of Charles Blomfield (1763–1831), a schoolmaster (as was Charles James"s grandfather, James Blomfield), Justice of the Peace and chief alderman of Bury Street Edmunds, and his wife, Hester (1765–1844), daughter of Edward Pawsey, a Bury grocer.
In 1811, he took his Bachelor of Arts degree, being placed thirteenth wrangler. The fellowships in his own college being full, he was elected to a classical lectureship and fellowship at Emmanuel College, which he retained till his death in 1816. He died from a fever contracted in a long vacation tour in Switzerland in that year.
In 1813, he travelled to Germany and made the acquaintance of some of the great scholars of that country.
On his return, he published in the Museum Criticum (Number ii), an interesting paper on "The Present State of Classical Literature in Germany." He died in 1816, his early death depriving Cambridge of one who seemed destined to take a high place amongst her most brilliant classical scholars.
Edward acquired a high reputation for learning and general accomplishments, being a good modern linguist and draughtsman, as well as a brilliant scholar He was educated under Doctor Becher at the grammar school in Bury Saint Edmunds, and thence proceeded to Caius College, Cambridge, in 1807. He had, however, obtained such classical distinctions as were then open to competition. He was Browne medallist in 1809 and 1810 (in the former year being beaten by one candiaate, but receiving a prize of books from the vice-chancellor, Doctor Barnes), members" prizeman in 1812, and finally first chancellor"s classical medallist.
