Robert Godfrey, 86, the son of a dentist from Holyhead, signed on as an articled apprentice with an accountancy firm in Chester back in 1957, the year when the space race started with the Soviet Union launching the Sputnik satellite.

Now the Wrexham-based practice he co-founded, Godfrey Edwards, has merged with chartered accountancy firm Coxeys which has offices in Wrexham, Saltney and Chester.

The deal has seen around 300 clients transfer across along with his tax expert partner, Gwyn Edwards, and three members of staff.

It also marks a fourth acquisition for Coxeys in the past six years, a period which has seen the firm grow significantly.

Staff numbers have risen from around 30 to 50 during that time as the business has expanded its range of services for clients across the region.

Mr Godfrey qualified as an accountant in 1963 with Harmood, Banner, Lewis and Mounsey, becoming a partner in 1970.

Four years later the firm merged with Deloitte but around 1980 he and fellow partner Tim Plews left the global firm to run their own practice, with Mr Plews remaining in Chester and Mr Godfrey opening a new office in Wrexham.

The firm evolved into Godfrey Edwards in 2002 when he teamed up with Gwyn Edwards.

According to Mr Godfrey, the merger felt like a natural step thanks to a long friendship with Coxeys founder Michael Coxey, who is still working part time at the age of 80.

He said: “I had been very friendly with Michael Coxey over the years and we have always had an arrangement that we would never take clients off each other.

“Michael, who’s a bit younger than me, had always said to me if was ever thinking of packing it in, Coxeys would take me over and that is basically what has happened.

“Michael is still working part time and I am carrying on for the foreseeable to make sure our clients are happy so that it’s a managed, seamless transition.

“My clients have peace of mind in knowing  that they can contact me if they need to and that they have nothing to worry about. It’s a nice way to retire for me.

“I brought three members of staff, as well as Gwyn who has joined Coxey’s as their in-house tax expert.

“I was comfortable merging with Coxeys because we have a long-standing relationship and mutual respect.

“The current managing director, Anthony Lewis, and fellow director, Joanne Evans, have been wonderful and very respectful.

“The reason I carried on for so long after retirement age is that I loved it and I still do. But I do want to retire now, safe in the knowledge that the clients are in good hands.”

For the time being though, Robert still comes into work three or four days a week and has an office at Coxeys headquarters in Wrexham where he has become a popular figure with all the team.

Coxeys director Joanne Evans said: “Robert is a real gentleman, with strong values and has a similar mindset in how you deal with people and provide a professional service.

“That’s why the merger has worked so well because we are so similar in our outlook and to be fair, it’s been seamless.

“Robert comes in most days and he is enjoying his role in the transition period to be a reassuring presence for the clients who still have access to him.

“The clients are still working with the same members of staff because they have also transferred to Coxeys which means there’s a real continuity of service.

“Although he is 86, Robert is still as sharp as a tack and has a real charm about him. He is lovely and we  have all taken to him.

Managing director Anthony Lewis added: “The merger is also another milestone in the Coxeys story as it’s the fourth in the past six years.

“We’re very much a one-stop shop. Our audit work in particular has grown significantly and has more than doubled over the past couple of years.

“We’re large enough to provide a full spectrum of accountancy services but still small enough to offer that friendly, personal service that our clients really value.

“We’ve built a really strong team over the past few years and our growth is providing a boost to the regional economy, providing highly-skilled, well-paid jobs.

“We’re continuing to recruit and we have three current vacancies as we are looking to build on our recent success.”