Arthur George Negus, OBE (29 March 1903 – 5 April 1985) was a British television personality and antiques expert, specialising in furniture.
Arthur Negus OBE | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Arthur George Negus[1] 29 March 1903[1] Reading, Berkshire, England[1] |
| Died | 5 April 1985 (aged 82)[1] Cheltenham, England[1] |
| Occupation(s) | antiques expert and broadcaster[1] |
| Known for | |
| Notable work | Auctioneer with Bruton, Knowles and Co. |
Biography edit
Negus was born in Reading, Berkshire, to Amy Julia Worsley and father Arthur George Negus Sr, a cabinet maker. His family has had a long history in the antiques business. Negus was educated at Reading School and began running the family business when he was 17, following the death of his father. During World War II he was an air-raid warden. He later joined the company of Bruton, Knowles & Co., auctioneers of antiques based in Gloucester.
For many years Negus resided in Cheltenham.
Broadcasting career edit
His broadcasting career began at the age of 62 when he appeared on the panel of the television series Going for a Song (1965–1977), where he appraised antiques. He quickly became a household name as a result of his slow and distinctive West Country speech style, which in turn also made him popular with impersonators. He returned to television with Arthur Negus Enjoys (1982) and, especially, Antiques Roadshow (1979–1983). He also appeared on other TV programmes including several editions of The Generation Game during the time it was presented by Bruce Forsyth and Larry Grayson.[citation needed]
Honours and legacy edit
Negus was appointed to the Order of the British Empire in 1982. He died in 1985 at his home in Cheltenham exactly one week after having turned 82.
In April 2013 Negus's daughter Anne appeared on BBC One's Antiques Roadshow with the Negus family Bible. The Negus family had traced its ownership back to the 1700s.[2]
Bibliography edit
- Going for a Song: English Furniture (1969)
- The Arthur Negus Guide to English Clocks (1980) – foreword by Negus, remainder of text by David Barket
- A Life Among Antiques: Arthur Negus Talks To Bernard Price (1982)
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f Anne Pimlott Baker (2004). "Negus, Arthur George (1903–1985)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/40946. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ "Cheltenham Town Hall 2 (first broadcast 14 April 2013)". bbc.co.uk. 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
Sources edit
External links edit
- Arthur Negus at IMDb
- Pick of the Past: Heelas, Arthur Negus and Dennis J Hands at getreading.co.uk