George Kemp, 1st Baron Rochdale
Encyclopedia
George Kemp, 1st Baron Rochdale, CB
(9 June 1866–24 March 1945) was a British
politician, soldier, businessman and cricketer.
, Lancashire
and educated at Shrewsbury
. Matriculating at Balliol College, Oxford
in 1883, aged 16, Kemp transferred to Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1884, where he graduated B.A.
in the Classical Tripos
in 1888. In business Kemp went into the woollen industry eventually becoming Chairman of Kelsall & Kemp, flannel manufacturers.
. A batsman, he scored three centuries in his career and also represented Cambridge University.
(MP) for Heywood
as Liberal Unionist. In 1909, he was knight
ed for his war services and at the January 1910 general election he was elected MP for Manchester North West
, this time as a Liberal
. He stepped down from the House of Commons in 1912, declaring that he "loathed politics". A year later he was raised to the peerage
as Baron Rochdale, of Rochdale, co. Palatine of Lancaster.
, during which service he was mentioned in despatches. He commanded the 32nd Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry
to the end of the war in 1902. Called to war again a few years later, Lord Rochdale was Lieutenant Colonel
in command the 1st/6th Battalions of the Lancashire Fusiliers
and was temporarily Brigadier
of 126th and 127th Brigades of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division
during the Battle of Gallipoli
in 1915.
) and they had three children. Lord Rochdale died in 1945 and was succeeded by his eldest son, John
.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(9 June 1866–24 March 1945) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politician, soldier, businessman and cricketer.
Education & business
Kemp was born in RochdaleRochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and educated at Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
. Matriculating at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
in 1883, aged 16, Kemp transferred to Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in 1884, where he graduated B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in the Classical Tripos
Classical Tripos
The Classical Tripos is the taught course in classics at the University of Cambridge, equivalent to Literae Humaniores at Oxford. It is traditionally a three year degree, but for those who have not studied Latin and Greek at school a four year course has been introduced...
in 1888. In business Kemp went into the woollen industry eventually becoming Chairman of Kelsall & Kemp, flannel manufacturers.
Cricket
From 1885 to 1892, Kemp played first-class cricket with LancashireLancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
. A batsman, he scored three centuries in his career and also represented Cambridge University.
Politics
In 1895, he was elected Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Heywood
Heywood (UK Parliament constituency)
Heywood was a county constituency in the county of Lancashire of the House of Commons for the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, it was represented by one Member of Parliament...
as Liberal Unionist. In 1909, he was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed for his war services and at the January 1910 general election he was elected MP for Manchester North West
Manchester North West (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester North West was one of six single-member Parliamentary constituencies created in 1885 by the division of the three-member Parliamentary Borough of Manchester under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. Its first MP, William Houldsworth, had previously sat for Manchester...
, this time as a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
. He stepped down from the House of Commons in 1912, declaring that he "loathed politics". A year later he was raised to the peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
as Baron Rochdale, of Rochdale, co. Palatine of Lancaster.
Military career
In 1900, he served in the Boer WarSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, during which service he was mentioned in despatches. He commanded the 32nd Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry
Imperial Yeomanry
The Imperial Yeomanry was a British volunteer cavalry regiment that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English volunteers. In...
to the end of the war in 1902. Called to war again a few years later, Lord Rochdale was Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in command the 1st/6th Battalions of the Lancashire Fusiliers
Lancashire Fusiliers
The Lancashire Fusiliers was a British infantry regiment that was amalgamated with other Fusilier regiments in 1968 to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.- Formation and early history:...
and was temporarily Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
of 126th and 127th Brigades of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division
42nd (East Lancashire) Division
The 42nd Division was a Territorial Force division of the British Army. Originally called the East Lancashire Division, it was redesignated as the 42nd Division on 25 May 1915. It was the first Territorial division to be sent overseas during the First World War. The division fought at Gallipoli,...
during the Battle of Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
in 1915.
Family
On 5 August 1896, he had married Lady Beatrice Mary Egerton (the third daughter of the 3rd Earl of EllesmereFrancis Egerton, 3rd Earl of Ellesmere
Francis Charles Granville Egerton, 3rd Earl of Ellesmere VD, DL, JP , styled Viscount Brackley between 1857 and 1862, was a British peer, soldier and author...
) and they had three children. Lord Rochdale died in 1945 and was succeeded by his eldest son, John
John Kemp, 1st Viscount Rochdale
John Durival Kemp, 1st Viscount Rochdale OBE TD was a British peer and businessman.Kemp married Elinor Dorothea Pease on 18 March 1931 and succeeded to his father's title as the 2nd Baron Rochdale in 1945. He was created Viscount Rochdale in 1960.Lord and Lady Rochdale had two children:* St John...
.