Roger Emms, who was a popular customer at the Market for more than half a century, sadly passed away in February, aged 80.

Roger was born in Charlton, near Hitchin, Hertfordshire, and from a very early age worked with brother Geoffrey on Hitchin retail market, for fruiterer George Watkins. George was a regular customer at the old Covent Garden with his son Roy.

The fresh produce industry seeds had no doubt already been sewn when both Roger and Geoffrey left school and took jobs in the building trade; Roger as a scaffolder. When those jobs finished, the brothers started their own fruit and vegetable business – Emms Bros – in the late ‘60s, buying fresh produce from the old Covent Garden and wholesaling it across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. Each Saturday, they also ran a busy fruit stall in Sandy market square.

They switched their buying to Nine Elms when the Market relocated and remained in partnership until the early ‘90s when they amicably decided to spilt the partnership and go their separate ways within the industry. Roger continued to buy from the market and continued his eponymous secondary wholesale firm Roger Emms until recently, remaining a well-known personality on Buyers’ Walk.

He had an immense passion for the Market and in return the people of the market had huge respect and love for Roger. He was a great character who will always be remembered for his ubiquitous smile and infectious laughter, as well as a singing voice that often rang through the market hall. His singing voice was good enough, in fact, to have got him onto Opportunity Knocks in the ‘60s!

Roger’s passing was much lamented by traders and friends here, but the memories and stories will live long. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

He leaves wife Janet, their children Steven, Richard and Anthony and grandchildren Erin, Charlie, Brooke, Matthew and Luke.

His nephew Gary Emms works in the flower industry and has supplied both the flower and fruit and vegetable markets here during his time in those sectors.