Notes
According to Angus and Rosemary's Miscellany of Malvern (see References): 'Lt Eric John 'Robin' Kempson, aged 25 years, formerly attached to the battleship HMS Prince of Wales sunk by Japanese bombers on 10th December 1941, had been a member of the crew of the tug Elizabeth evacuating men from the shore when it was shelled by a Japanese destroyer. Robin was the son of teacher Eric William Edward Kempson and Beatrice Hamilton Ashwell, and the younger brother of Rachel Kempson (1910 - 2003) who married Sir Michael Redgrave and was the mother of actresses Vanessa, Corin and Lynn Redgrave. His elder brother Nicholas Lawrence Turner Kempson pursued a career in the Royal Navy serving as a Signals Officer during much of the war and survived the conflict.
Eric Kempson senior, born Hereford, had a distinguished career. Attended Trinity College Cambridge BA 1902; MA 1927. Naval Instructor RN 1904 - 1907. Master at the RN College Dartmouth, 1907 - 1911. Senior Physics Master at Rugby, 1911 - 19. Served in the Great War 1914 - 1919 Major RE and RASC, MC, in Palestine with the Royal Engineers; mentioned twice in despatches. HM Inspector of Schools 1919 - 27. Headmaster of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, 1927 - 1942. Author with CE Ashford of Elementary Theory of Direct Current Dynamo Electric Machinery; Introduction to Magnetism and Electricity. Died July 23, 1948.
Perhaps it was just a coincidence that the founder of Wells House Rev William Wilberforce Gedge married France Anne Kempson, and their daughter Florence Ellen married second her cousin Henry Kempson a master at Malvern College. However even if no relation it seems quite likely that Robin Kempson had been educated at the Wells House and the plaque was moved from the Wells House after the school closed.'