James Kemp

James Kemp (7 September 1797 – 21 February 1872) was a missionary for the Church of England, co-founding the second Church Missionary Society (CMS) station in New Zealand at Kerikeri. Born in England, he came to New Zealand with his wife, Charlotte Kemp, in 1819 and settled in Kerikeri where the CMS station was founded. He taught at the station's schools and conducted services in nearby villages. He also supervised the building of the Stone Store in Kerikeri. By 1840, he and his wife were the only missionaries in Kerikeri and during the Flagstaff War, were two of the few Europeans to remain in the area during the conflict. He died in Auckland at the age of 75.

Early life Born on 7 September 1797, James Kemp was the son of Richard and Ann Kemp, of Wymondham in Norfolk, England. He was working as a blacksmith when he met his future wife Charlotte Butcher. The couple married on 16 November 1818 at Wymondham Abbey and then emigrated to New Zealand.

Missionary work After sailing aboard the Baring to Sydney, in Australia, Kemp and his wife transferred to the General Gates for the trip to the Bay of Islands, their final destination. Arriving on 12 August 1819,

Legacy

In 1928, a tablet was unveiled to Kemp's memory in his former residence, Mission House. The building remained in the Kemp family's hands until 1974, when it was donated to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust by his great-grandson. The oldest European building in New Zealand, it was added to the New Zealand Historic Places Category 1 list on 23 June 1983.