Clive Emson, the auctioneer who became a familiar face to millions of BBC viewers through his two decades of appearances on Homes Under the Hammer, has died at the age of 79.
The businessman passed away peacefully on Wednesday, surrounded by his family.
Known throughout the property world for his catchphrase "have gavel, will travel," Mr Emson built an auctioneering business that stretched across southern England from Kent to Cornwall, including the Isle of Wight.
His dedication to supporting vulnerable young people in Kent earned him an MBE in 2019, an honour he received for his charitable endeavours with disadvantaged children.
Auctioneer Clive EMson has died at 79 | CLIVE EMSONMr Emson's journey in the property industry began with remarkably humble origins, starting out as a junior estate agent on a wage of just £1.50 per week.
After leaving King's School in Rochester at 16 with only a couple of O-levels, he was candid about his difficult relationship with formal education.
"It was not the best time of my life, and I was a nightmare for them," he told KentOnline in 2022.
The discipline of public school and organised sport held no appeal for the young Mr Emson, who was eager to move on.
BBC Homes Under the Hammer legend Clive Emson dies at 79 after two decades of TV appearances | FACEBOOKHe subsequently attended Maidstone Technical College, where he studied practical subjects including commerce, book-keeping and economics.
Although careers in law, accountancy and banking were possibilities, Mr Emson had no desire to spend his working life confined to an office.
"It was more laid back, and I enjoyed talking and meeting people," he explained of his decision to pursue estate agency.
His first position came at Geering and Colyer in Maidstone in 1968, and he later worked at various branches across Kent, including one in Tonbridge, where he encountered Sue, who would become his wife of 50 years. She was the daughter of the branch manager. Sue died six years ago.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Clive Emson was a regular on BBC's Homes Under the Hammer for 20 years
|The couple had two children: James, now 52 and serving as managing director of the family business, and Rebecca, 55, whose husband Steve works in the company's IT department.
Mr Emson established his first estate agency, Clive Emson and Co, in Hythe in 1973.
A decade later, he merged with the expanding Ward and Partners, which was subsequently acquired by Prudential in 1986.
Growing disillusioned with corporate ownership, he departed from his role as regional director in 1989.
Clive Emson died surrounded by family, reports confirm
|Despite launching his own firm in Folkestone during a severe economic downturn, Mr Emson persevered.
He took over a modest industrial unit on Medway City Estate in Strood, where he gained valuable experience in business survival.
The company gradually expanded across southern England, with James opening branches in Hastings and Brighton.
When fire safety regulations forced them to leave their auction venue at the Great Danes Hotel in Maidstone, they relocated to the Kent County Showground at Detling.
The Clive Emson Conference Centre now hosts their property sales every six weeks, though these have remained online since the pandemic.
His firm became the first property auctioneering house operating independently of an estate agency. "I had to move on, find my own niche. I love selling, and auctioneering is what I've done all my life," he said.