Kenneth Kemp was born in 1895, the only son of Old Westminster Reginald Kemp. He joined the school as early as possible and was admitted to Ashburnham House in 1909. Unfortunately, ill health, a problem that plagued much of his life, forced him to leave the school early, and he departed just one year later. Kemp nevertheless showed strong artistic talent and eventually studied with the Chelsea School of Art. In 1917, he was elected an Associate of the Royal Society of British Artists, and a number of his pictures were exhibited at the Royal Academy 1916-1918.

However, his ill health restricted his war service, and he was eventually diagnosed with scoliosis in 1917. As a consequence, he worked principally as an ambulance driver, assisting in France and Belgium. In this role, he was awarded the Croix de Guerre for consistent bravery and saving life under fire. He was gassed near Nieuport in April of that year, and later returned home with a Commission in the Royal Army Service Corps. On 7^th October 1918 he was taken sick, and died from influenza just eleven days later.