George Kemp, 1st Baron Rochdale

George Kemp, 1st Baron Rochdale CB (9 June 1866–24 March 1945) was a British politician, soldier, businessman and cricketer.

Education and business
Kemp was born in Rochdale, Lancashire and educated at Shrewsbury. Matriculating at Balliol College, Oxford in 1883, aged 16, Kemp transferred to Trinity College, Cambridge in 1884, where he graduated B.A. in the Classical Tripos in 1888. In business Kemp went into the woollen industry eventually becoming Chairman of Kelsall & Kemp, flannel manufacturers.

Cricket
From 1885 to 1892, Kemp played first-class cricket with Lancashire. A batsman, he scored three centuries in his career and also represented Cambridge University.

Politics
In 1895, he was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Heywood as Liberal Unionist. In 1909, he was knighted for his war services and at the January 1910 general election he was elected MP for Manchester North West, this time as a Liberal. He stepped down from the House of Commons in 1912, declaring that he "loathed politics". A year later he was raised to the peerage as Baron Rochdale, of Rochdale in the County Palatine of Lancaster.

Military career
In 1900, he served in the Boer War, during which service he was mentioned in despatches. He commanded the 32nd Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry to the end of the war in 1902. Called to war again a few years later, Lord Rochdale was Lieutenant Colonel in command the 1st/6th Battalions of the Lancashire Fusiliers and was temporarily Brigadier of 127th (Manchester) Brigade of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division during the Battle of Gallipoli in 1915.

Family
On 5 August 1896, he had married Lady Beatrice Mary Egerton, third daughter of Francis Egerton, 3rd Earl of Ellesmere. They had three children. Lord Rochdale died in 1945 and was succeeded by his eldest son, John.