Sir John Kemp

In the east cloister of Westminster Abbey is a marble memorial to Sir John Kemp. He was the eldest son of Reverend Thomas Kemp, rector of Gissing in Norfolk by his first wife Anne (Marler). Born in 1754 he entered Westminster School in 1768, having succeeded his uncle Sir John Kemp as 6th Baronet in 1761. He died unmarried and was buried at Gissing where there is another monument to him. The Abbey inscription reads: 

To the memory of Sir John Kemp, Bart. [Baronet] a youth who to a graceful person added such purity of manners, sweetness of temper and pleasantness of conversation as delighted and indeared him to all his acquaintance. Having passed through Westminster School with improvement and applause he was about to prosecute his studies at one of the universities and (had it pleased the Divine Being to have granted him length of days) he would probably have reflected that lustre upon birth and title which many are content to borrow from them. But death was permitted to blast the hopes conceived of him e'er he had attained the age of 17 years upon the 16th of Jan. 1771. This tablet is erected by two of his young friends who loved and lament him

The fee for the memorial was paid for by John Berkeley Burland, one of the friends.