Charles Kemp was born on 15 March 1825 at Hinxton, near Cambridge, England. He was the fifth of nine children born to Jabez and Catherine Kemp (nee Haywood).
Hannah Smith Potterill was born in Chesterfieild, England in 1828 to Thomas and Mary Potterill.
Charles and Hannah married on 10 May 1851. They had six children: Sarah 1851, William 1852, Adelaide 1855, Florence 1857, Susan 1862, and Alice 1865. Sarah was born in England and died at about two years old. William was also born in England, but the other children were all born in Australia.
The family emigrated to Australia aboard the sailing ship Caroline arriving at Morton Bay (now Brisbane) on 14 November 1853. The voyage from England took six months and the ship sank on the return voyage! Immigration records reveal that Charles could read and hannah could read and write. Their parents names are listed with notations that both Charles' parents and Hannah's father were both still living in Cambridgeshire.
The family landed on 17 November and immediately moved to the Maryland district near Stanthope, the journey taking six weeks by bullock dray. It would have been a slow and rough ride, with little William a little over a year old.
This was during the height of the gold rush in Australia, but it seems that the Kemps were not fortune seekers. They settled in the Maryland district and remained there for the rest of their lives. Maryland is about 15 km northeast of Stanthorpe. At the time they settled there, Maryland and Stanhorpe were both in the Colony of New South Wales, but when Queensland was established as a separate colony, the border fell between the two districts. So today they are in different states.
Early records show Charles as a labourer, but later he is shown as a 'Selector'. His Will document is signed with a cross, but his immigration records indicate he could read.
Hannah died in Stanthorpe on 7 January 1902. William died in Stanthorpe on 9 October 1905. They are both buried in the Stanhorpe Cemetery. They were survived by five of their children. Charles' Will divided his property equally between:Â
William Kemp of Pikedale, Queensland, Selector. William married Esther Rigby and had 11 children.
Adelaide Einam, wife of William Einam, Maryland, N.S W., Selector.
Sarah Florence Richardson, wife of William John Richardson, Stanthorpe Queensland, Mail Contractor
Susan Anstey, widow of the late John James Anstey of Wylong, N.S.W., School Master
Alice Eliza Mannion, wife of George Mannion of Brisbane, Queensland, lronmonger Assistant.