Anyone have this PH4 rear aperture piece and lenses?

[Surpmil]

No - the niece of the long standing employee.

A long-standing employee approached his niece, Elizabeth Goldsmith and her husband Simon

This is one of those aspects of grammar that trips up enough people these days that one cannot assume much. The reference to "the founder's great grandson" implies that he had some further role and that it was his niece that was approached; a logical interpretation given that no mention is made of the said "long-standing employee" in fact having taken over the business in the 1970s. Nor would there be any apparent reason to recount his having "approached his niece" when it could simply be said that his niece and her husband had taken over the business. So what was grammatically correct was also lacking in clarity.

And hence my question.

[Alan de Enfield]

This is one of those aspects of grammar that trips up enough people these days that one cannot assume much.

That may be true, but in English English I don't think there is any doubt to the meaning - remember also that the following was stated ................

The family business was passed on solely through the male line. In 1971, after selling the head office they moved all the remaining stock and long serving staff member, George Goble, around the corner to rented premises in Catherine Street. George, a dispensing optician, was now the only member of staff – running the shop but mainly retained to provide a service to long-standing customers and to reduce the stock levels. Then the remaining instrument part of the business finally moved out of London to Hove, Sussex in 1973. In 1975, despite the efforts of the founder’s great-grandson and his wife, the business closed its doors for the last time.

I would suggest the the 'long standing staff member' would be in no position to appoint anyone as his replacement and would need to refer his suggested successor to the 'family' for them to make / approve the appointment.

[Surpmil]

That may be true, but in English English I don't think there is any doubt to the meaning - remember also that the following was stated ................

I would suggest the the 'long standing staff member' would be in no position to appoint anyone as his replacement and would need to refer his suggested successor to the 'family' for them to make / approve the appointment.

Odd that it is not made clear that "George Goble" was this "long-standing employee", if he was? I get the impression of different texts written perhaps by different people and/or at different times and then bodged together, perhaps by a third person.

Please feel free to give the old nag a few final blows if you wish.