A PASSION for floristry has been in the family for generations so it was only natural that Philip Ellson would follow in his granddad’s footsteps with the hope of keeping the family legacy alive.

But almost 40 years after taking the reign of the family business, the 60-year-old will be shutting the doors to Ellson’s Florists - a shop which has survived the test of time for more than 100 years.

Philip, of London Road, Appleton said: “It’s sad as I’m going to miss meeting new people and the regulars. It has a lot of memories this place.”

Ellison’s Florist on Orford Lane was first opened in 1908 by Philip’s granddad, William Ellison, and his wife Emma after he was taught about floristry by his adopted parents who ran a fruit, veg and flowers stall on Warrington Market.

But when William died in 1955, he left the shop in the hands of his 10 children until it was demolished in 1975.

But Philip, who had learnt the basics of floristry under the watchful eye of his granddad and mum, did not want to see his family’s hard work forgotten so rose to the challenge of running the business with two minor changes.

The shop’s name was changed to Ellson and the new store was opened a couple of doors down from the original store.

Philip, who ran the shop with his wife, Christine, said: “And so the tale of the lost ‘i’ began to be written. My surname is Ellson not Ellison as my mother married Thomas Ellson during the war.

“Here the confusion over the name came into existence. One passerby even came in, ever so apologetically, to inform us that the sign outside had in fact been spelt incorrectly.”

The family business celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009 but, with no children of their own to take over the running of the shop, Ellson’s Florists has now closed its doors for the final time.

Lynn Martin, who worked on and off at the florists for 35 years, said: “They both became like family to me and it was because of them that I loved my job. I will miss working there.”