Ann Summers’ boss Jacqueline Gold dies at 62, her family reveals: The lingerie mogul passes away after a seven-year battle with breast cancer, just two months after the death of her father, the West Ham owner David Gold.
Jacqueline Gold, the founder of Ann Summers, died of breast cancer at age 62, just ten weeks after the death of her beloved father David.
In a double tragedy for the Gold family in 2023, the businesswoman passed away Thursday night after seven years battling a serious illness.
His famous father, the co-chairman of West Ham United, who rose from East End abject poverty to a £500m fortune, died after a brief illness on January 4 aged 86.
A family statement read: “It is with indescribable sadness that Ann Summers confirms that our incredible CEO, Jacqueline Gold CBE, passed away last night with her husband Dan, daughter Scarlett, sister Vanessa and brother-in-law Nick by her side.” .
Her sister Vanessa said: “Jacqueline bravely fought stage four breast cancer for seven years and was an absolute warrior throughout her cancer journey.”
David Gold with his daughter Jacqueline, who passed away last night after a long battle with breast cancer
Jacqueline was named a CBE in the 2016 New Year Honors for services to entrepreneurship, women in business, and social enterprise.
When David Gold bought Ann Summers with his brother Ralph in 1972, it had four stores.
The London-based company served as a standard sex shop under the ownership of its founder, Michael Caborn-Waterfield.
In 1981, Jacqueline joined the company. She quickly set out to make her mark, introducing the ‘Party Plan’ concept.
This would see ‘parties’ held at clients’ homes, where the women would receive presentations on sex toys and lingerie, as well as party games.
These proved extremely popular and a good way to circumvent laws that prevented sex toys from being publicly displayed.
Ann Summers now has 80 stores on the high streets of Great Britain and Ireland, and has since become synonymous with the sale of adult toys and lingerie.
