Sir Robert Kemp, 3rd Baronet (1667–1734), of Hoxne and Ubbeston, Suffolk, was an English landowner and Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1701 and 1734.

Biography

Kemp was baptized at Ubbeston on 25 June 1667, the eldest son of Sir Robert Kemp, 2nd Baronet MP, of Gissing, Norfolk and his second wife Mary Sone, daughter of John Sone of Ubbeston. He was admitted at

St Catharine's College, Cambridge St Catharine's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473 as Katharine Hall, it adopted its current name in 1860. The college is nicknamed "Catz". The college is located in the historic city-centre of Camb ...

on 23 May 1685. He married Letitia King, daughter of Robert King of Great Thurlow, Suffolk. After her death he married as his second wife Elizabeth Brand, daughter. of John Brand of Edwardstone, Suffolk in about 1699. Kemp was returned unopposed as Member of Parliament for Dunwich on the family interest at the first general election of 1701 with his Tory brother-in-law Sir Charles Blois, Bt. He was returned unopposed again as Tory MP at the second general election of 1701. He voted on 26 February 1702 for the motion vindicating the proceedings of the Commons over the impeachment of the King's Whig ministers. He voted for the Tack on 28 November 1704. His mother died in 1705 and he did not stand at the

1705 English general election The 1705 English general election saw contests in 110 constituencies in England and Wales, roughly 41% of the total. The election was fiercely fought, with mob violence and cries of " Church in Danger" occurring in several boroughs. During the pr ...

and left Hoxne to live with his father at Ubbeston. He stood again with Blois at the

1708 British general election The 1708 British general election was the first general election to be held after the Acts of Union had united the Parliaments of England and Scotland. The election saw the Whigs finally gain a majority in the House of Commons, and by November ...

at Dunwich and defeated two Whigs, but they were unseated on petition on 5 February 1709. Kemp's second wife Elizabeth died in 1709 and his father, to whose estates and baronetcy he succeeded, died on 26 September 1710. He married as his third wife Martha Blackwell daughter of William Blackwell of Mortlake, Surrey. He was returned unopposed at Dunwich at the

1713 British general election The 1713 British general election produced further gains for the governing Tory party. Since 1710 Robert Harley had led a government appointed after the downfall of the Whig Junto, attempting to pursue a moderate and non-controversial policy, b ...

, but lost the seat at the

1715 British general election The 1715 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 5th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the 1707 merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland. In October 1714, soon afte ...

In 1727 Kemp's third wife Martha died and he married as his fourth wife Amy Burroughs, widow of John Burrough of Ipswich, daughter of Richard Phillips on 9 July 1728. He was returned unopposed as MP for

Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...

at a by-election on 9 February 1732. He voted against the Government on the Excise Bill in 1733 and for the repeal of the Septennial Act in 1734. At the

1734 British general election The 1734 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 8th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. Robert Walpole's incr ...

he was returned again unopposed for Suffolk, but did not survive more than a few months. Kemp died at Ufford, Suffolk on 18 December 1734, after suddenly being taken ill in his coach on his way to Parliament. He had one daughter by his first wife, five sons and two daughters by his second wife, and three children by his third wife. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son Robert.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kemp, Sir Robert, 3rd Baronet 1667 births 1734 deaths British MPs 1708–1710 British MPs 1713–1715 British MPs 1727–1734 British MPs 1734–1741 Members of the Parliament of England for Dunwich Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies Baronets in the Baronetage of England