Britain’s oldest boss has died at the age of 105 – just three years after she retired.
Hardworking Phyllis Self founded Whitehall Garden Centre in Chippenham, Wilts., with her husband in 1968.
She worked five days a week until well after her 100th birthday and still worked a 36-hour week as the company’s director and secretary when was 101.
Mrs Self, who would have been 106 next month, passed away on Friday and leaves two sons, five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Her son Christopher, 73, now runs the garden centre business – which employs nearly 200 staff – with her grandson Peter.
Christopher said: “She enjoyed the fact that the garden centre employed so many people and she took great pride in knowing them by name.
“When asked what she attributed her old age to, she said an interest in people and an occasional whiskey and ginger at night.
“She did the flowers in the church, she liked her lilies on the altar. She has been the company secretary for many years, and her death leaves quite a hole.”
