FREDERICK H.H. KEMP (41-44)

Frederick. H. H. Kemp (41-44) died peacefully at Farnham Mill Nursing home on June 23, 2022, aged 94, as reported to the Society by his son Jeffrey.

“Frederick was born in Singapore in December 1926 into a colonial family and lived in Burma (Myanmar) until he was seven years old when he sailed to London docks unaccompanied. At 13 he started at The Nautical College.  Always a keen sportsman he excelled at Hockey as well as Rugby, Cricket (half colours), Cross-country and Boxing.

In 1944 he left Pangbourne to join T & J Harrison in Liverpool as a Cadet in the merchant service, remaining for five years and qualifying as a deck officer Second Mate.  In this period, he served in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean theatres at the tail end of the war and was part of a flotilla that was to invade Penang, Malaya. However, in transit to the area V.J. day was declared and so the flotilla was re directed peacefully to Singapore.

After leaving Harrisons he returned to the U.K. settled in Woking and worked as an executive in London for Esso Petroleum. During this time, he was an active member and captain of Woking Hockey Club and also organised the OP side for matches against the College. During the late 1950s he became less involved in Woking Hockey and instead joined Hayling Island Sailing Club (H.I.S.C.). Here he sailed mainly Flying Fifteens and was class captain, winning the Holt cup in 1962 and 1963.

In the 1970’s my father moved to Tempests and participated in Weymouth Olympic Week where he came 3^rd and was selected for Olympic Trials in Germany. Unfortunately, he had to decline to take part due to early onset of hip arthritis. As hip surgery was in its infancy, he was advised to minimise the burden on his hips so as to delay the operation and so graduated to cruisers. He became an active member of Chichester Cruiser Racing Club where he served as Commodore for a period of three years.

His retirement years were filled with sailing. In winter he painted in oils and became an accomplished historical marine artist. In his eighties he realised that he could no longer handle cruisers and so took on a ‘stink pot’ motor boat and motored in company with H.I.S.C.

My father spent the last years of his life by the sea on Hayling Island living near the sailing club and his sailing friends. He leaves his devoted wife of 71 years, three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.”