Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

K names

Sydney Frank Kemp

by

S. F. Kemp
Second Lieutenant, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, Bucks Batallion
Killed in action age 34 on 16 April 1918

Awarded Military Cross

See Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry for an account of the attack in which Kemp died.
CWGC: “Eldest son of Frank John and Ellen Kemp, of 40 Lansdowne Gardens, London; husband of Eva Kemp (formerly Wisdom), of 10 Ross Street, Rochester.”
Remembered at St. Venant-Robecq Road Cemetery, Robecq, Pas de Calais, France

Brother of Hugh John Kemp.

At the time he enlisted on 26 August 1914, Sydney Frank Kemp worked as a prison warder. His paperwork includes the information that he had served in the 7th Hussars of the Line and had been discharged in 1905, having served his term.
It is therefore a little surprising to see the number of transgressions on Kemp’s conduct sheets. His crimes were all committed while he was serving in the ranks of the 11th Hussars of the Line; that is, before he was given a commission. Kemp’s crimes included absence from reveille, absence from billet, drunkenness, leaving the ranks without permission, neglecting to obey an order, making an improper remark to a warrant officer and ditto to a commanding officer. However, someone must have spotted his military talent, as in April 1917, after serving 3 years and 29 days, he was transferred to England, where he joined the 3rd Reserve Cavalry Regiment, moved to the Officer Cadet Battalion at Berkhamsted in June, and joining the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.

This may have given Kemp the confidence and motivation he needed. Kemp and his fellow officers were described by Major G. K. Rose writing in The Story of the 2/4th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (1920) as “an infusion of new blood and vigour,” and he and the officer who was killed with him in the attack of 17 April 1918 were “capital officers.”
Sydney Kemp, 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 8 stone, blue-eyed and fair-haired, married Eva Wisdom at St. Barnabas church on 3 February 1916.  He was the eldest of 11 children of Frank John and Ellen Kemp of 40 Lansdowne Gardens, Stockwell. Eva later moved to Rochester.

Hugh John Kemp

by

H. J. Kemp
Service no. L/3287
Lance Corporal, 16th (The Queen’s) Lancers, “C” Sqdn.
Born in South Norwood; enlisted in London; lived in Clapham
Died of wounds age 22 on 22 October 1914
CWGC: “Son of Frank John and Ellen Kemp, of 40 Lansdowne Gardens, South Lambeth, London.”
Remembered at St Andre Communal Cemetery, Nord, France

Brother of Sydney Frank Kemp

Information from the National Archive Pension records

Hugh John Kemp joined the 3rd London Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery (Territorial Army) on 16 February 1909. He gave his age as 17 years and 2 months and stated that he was a clerk at “A. Stedall”. He was 5 feet 5½ inches; his chest measurement was 33 inches, with 3 inches expansion. Kemp’s physical development was “good”, although the officer who completed the form had started to write “poor” but struck it out.

On 10 February 1911 Kemp left the Territorial Army to enlist in the regular army. He joined the Lancers of the Line. By now he had grown to just over 5 feet 6¾ and his chest was 36 inches.

Information from the censuses

In 1911 Frank J. Kemp, 55, a hop factor’s clerk, and his wife Ellen Kemp, 52, headed a large family living at 40 Lansdowne Gardens, where they occupied 11 rooms. Frank and Ellen had had 12 children, of whom 11 survived.
Frank was originally from West Wickham in Kent and Ellen from Pebmarsh in Essex. Their large family consisted of
Sydney F. Kemp, 26, working in “fruit farming”, born in Peckham, who died in 1918
Constance P. Kemp, 24, a shorthand typist, born in New Cross
Thomas C. Kemp, 21, a colonial agent’s representative in the drapery trade, born in New Cross
Winifred M. Kemp, 20, another shorthand typist, born in East Dulwich
Mabel E. Kemp, 16, not working, born in South Norwood
Leslie A. Kemp, 15, a junior clerk, born in South Norwood
Ivy G. Kemp, 14, at school, born in South Norwood
Doris F. Kemp, 12, at school, born in East Dulwich
Stanley E. Kemp, 10, at school, born in Nunhead
In addition, there was a nephew, Frederick H. Kemp, 26, a musician born in Brixton, and a niece, Ivy Nicholls, 16, a dressmaker’s assistant, born in Hamptonshire, Middlesex.
In 1911 Hugh John Kemp, 19, was at the barracks of the 16th Lancers at Woolwich Common – he was a private.
He appears on the 1901 census as an eight-year-old. At that time, the family was living 45 Nunhead Lane, Camberwell. Hugh John is listed as having been born at South Norwood. Sydney (given as Sidney) is described as a stockbroker’s clerk.

John Strachan Kelly

by

J. S. Kelly
Service no. 45038
Private, Surrey Yeomanry (Queen Mary’s Regiment), “A” Sqdn.
Born in Aberdeen; enlisted in Clapham; lived in Brixton
Killed in action aged 31 on 22 October 1917
Son of Timothy and Agnes Kelly; husband of Laura M. Kelly, of 6 Benedict Road, Brixton, London.
Remembered at Struma Military Cemetery, Greece)

Information from the 1911 census

John Strachan Kelly, 25 in 1911, lived with his parents and siblings at 13 Dunbar Road, Forest Gate, West Ham. His father, Timothy Kelly, 50, was a customs and excise officer from County Roscommon, Ireland. His mother, Agnes Kelly, 49, was from Aberdeen, Scotland. Of their 10 children, 7 survived (5 of them are on the census return):
John Strachan Kelly, 25, an assistant clerk at the Board of Trade, born in Aberdeen
Mary Kelly, 23, an assistant teacher, born in Aberdeen
Agnes Kelly, 21, a student teacher, born in Aberdeen
Edith Kelly, 19, no occupation, born in North Shields, Northumberland
Charles Edward Kelly, 7, born in Edinburgh

Information from 1901 Scottish census on the BERR website (which lists employees of the Board of Trade who died in the First World War).

John S. Kelly, who at the time of his death worked for the Board of Trade Seamen’s Registry, lived with his family at 4 Admiralty Street, Leith, Midlothian. Nellie Kelly, 8, and Alice Kelly, 9 months, are on this census (and not on the 1911 census).

Francis John Kellow

by

F. J. Kellow
Service no. 381862
Private, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), 1st/6th Battalion, formerly 3120, London Rifle Brigade
Born in Stockwell; enlisted in London; lived in Stockwell
Died of wounds age 22 on 8 September 1918
CWGC: “Son of John George Kellow, of 14, Lingham Street, Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Pernes British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918

KELLOW, F. J., Private, King’s (Liverpool Regt.)
He volunteered in November 1915, and until January 1918, when he was drafted to France, was engaged on duties of an important nature with his unit. Whilst overseas, he fought in the second Battle of the Somme, the Aisne, and the Marne, and on September 8th, 1918 he gave his life for the freedom of England at the fourth Battle of Ypres. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
“Thinking that remembrance, though unspoken, may reach him where he sleeps.”
14, Lingham Street, Clapham Road, S.W.9.

Information from the censuses

In 1911 14-year-old Francis John Kellow was living in a 3-roomed flat over the family shop at 12 Lingham Street, Stockwell. His father, John George Kellow, 43, was a shoemaker from Torquay, Devon; his mother, Emily Kellow, 42, was from Brixton. There were 2 siblings (only 3 of his parents’ 6 children survived):
Reginald Kellow, then 12;
Mabel Kellow, then 8.
Archibald William Chappell Kellow, 27, John’s brother, also lived with them.

In 1901 the family was living at 102 Landor Road.