Follow our timeline to explore the development of the accountancy profession in the United Kingdom and the course of events that led to the creation of ICAEW, a story that takes us from ancient times to the present day.
Our journey takes us through the crucial developments in the first half of the nineteenth century (when accountancy starts to take form as an organised profession growing primarily as a result of the commercial and legal activity of bankruptcy, insolvency and the winding up of companies) and takes us all the way to the present.
4000 B.C. - 1852
The beginning. Early printed works. Introduction of double-entry book-keeping to the UK. The first accountancy firm is established in Bristol.
| Circa 4000 B.C. |
The income of temples is recorded in lower Mesopotamia. |
| Circa 1300 A.D. |
Accountants are mentioned in historical records for the first time in the Statute of Westminster indicating they are considered important. |
| Circa 1327 A.D. |
Early books from the commune of Genoa display an early form of bookkeeping. |
| Circa 1400 A.D. |
The Italian trading period sees sophisticated accounting systems developed within banking houses. Double-entry bookkeeping is discovered. |
| 1494 | Luca Pacioli describes double-entry bookkeeping in his work Summa di Arithmetica, printed in Venice. |
| 1543 | Jan Ympyn Christoffels' work on the Venetian system of accounts entitled Nieuwe Instructie ende dewijs der looffelijcker consten des rekenboecks is printed in Antwerp. |
| 1543 | An English work by Hugh Oldcastle with the title A Profitable Treatyce called the Instrument or Boke to learn to know the good order of the keepying of the famouse reconynge called in Latyn, Dare and Habdare, and in English, Debitor and Creditor is printed in London. |
| 1547 | An English translation of Jan Ympyn Christoffels' work entitled A Notable and very excellente woorke, expressyng and declaryng the maner and forme how to kepe a boke of accomptes or reconynges...Translated..out of Frenche into Englishe is printed in Antwerp. |
| 1553 | The third book in English on double-entry bookkeeping entitled The Maner and fourme how to kepe a perfecte reconyng, after the order of...debitour and creditour by James Peele is printed in London by the King's Printer, Richard Grafton. Grafton is credited by historians for introducing double-entry book-keeping to England. |
| 1567 | A Breffe Instruction, and manner on howe to kepe, Merchants Bokes, of Accomptes, by John Weddington, is printed in Antwerp. |
| 1588 | Hugh Oldcastle's book is reproduced by John Mellis of Southwark in his work A Briefe Instruction and maner how to keepe bookes of accompts after the order of debitor and creditor. Such was the popularity of the Profitable Treatyce that it had been used by teachers until it fell to pieces and no other original copy remained. |
| 1635 | Another English work called The Merchants' Mirror: or Directions for the perfect ordering and keeping of accounts, framed by the way of Debitour and Creditour after the Italian manner, by Richard Dafforne, is printed. |
| 1683 | The first Scottish book on accountancy entitled Idea Rationaria, or the perfect accomptant, necessary for all merchants and trafficquers: containing the true forme of book-keeping, according to the Italian methode, by Robert Colinson, is printed in Edinburgh. |
| 1780 | Josiah Wade founds 'Tribe Clarke and Company' Accountancy firm in Bristol. Work mainly consists of auditing merchants' accounts. Josiah Wade is the oldest firm to trace its continuous existence. |
| 1793 | Published information records two 'accomptants' working in Bristol and another situated in Liverpool. |
| 1831 | A Bankruptcy Act is passed mentioning accountants alongside merchants and bankers as properly skilled to conduct audits. It is the first public recognition of accountants. |
| 1842 | The Relief of Insolvent Debtors Act creates a new source of labour for accountants as it requires debtors owing less than £300 to attach a statement of debts when petitioning the Bankruptcy Court. |
1853 -1879
Accountancy takes form as an organised profession. Early Legislation. A draft petition for a Royal Charter is submitted.
| 1853 | Institute of Accountants in Edinburgh is formed. |
| 1853 | Institute of Accountants in Glasgow is formed. |
| 1854 | Institute of Accountants in Edinburgh is granted a Royal Charter and is renamed the Society of Accountants in Edinburgh. |
| 1855 | Institute of Accountants in Glasgow is renamed the Institute of Accountants and Actuaries in Glasgow. |
| 1862 | A Companies Act termed the 'accountants friend' is passed. Establishing the role of Official Liquidator, a person responsible for proceedings in the liquidation of public companies, the act creates a large source of revenue for accountants. |
| 1867 | A Companies Act is passed. |
| 1867 | Society of Accountants in Aberdeen is formed. |
| 1869 | A Bankruptcy Act is passed making accountants more involved in Insolvency processes. |
| 1870 - 1877 | Bodies of Accountants form in London, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield. The ICAEW starts its early life as a voluntary association called the Institute of Accountants in London. At first it does not admit practitioners from the provinces. This was not done until 1872. |
| 1870 (25 Jan) | Incorporated Society of Liverpool Accountants is formed. |
| 1870 (8 Jun) | William Quilter, a senior partner of Quilter Ball & Co, meets with nine respected friends and colleagues at 3 Moorgate Street in London to discuss the advantages of banding together into a professional association of accountants by means of a Royal Charter. |
| 1870 (Nov) | A voluntary Association called the Institute of Accountants in London is formed by William Quilter and his friends and colleagues. The Privy Council had previously decided not to grant further Charters. |
| 1870 (29 Nov) | At a meeting at the City Terminus Hotel in Cannon Street, London, thirty seven accountants sign a draft copy of the rules and regulations for the new Institute of Accountants in London. A first Council is formed with twelve members. |
| 1870 (13 Dec) | The first official meeting of the Council of the Institute of Accountants in London takes place. |
| 1871 (16 Feb) | Manchester Institute of Accountants is formed. |
| 1871 (8 Feb) | The Council of the Institute of Accountants in London formally adopts the report of the sub-committee on rules and regulations. 300 copies are printed and distributed to members. |
| 1871 | The Council of the Institute of Accountants in London appoints a committee of examiners for new entrants. Candidates are examined viva voce (by oral interview). |
| 1871 | A library is set up by the Institute of Accountants. |
| 1872 (11 Jan) | Society of Accountants in England is formed by those excluded from the Institute of Accountants in London. The Society admits accountants from the provinces. |
| 1872 | The first Annual General Meeting of the Institute of Accountants in London is held. A deputation from seven provincial accountants is given requesting the scope of membership of the Institute is extended to those practising outside London. |
| 1872 (7 May) | The Council of the Institute of Accountants in London meets. Letters are heard from the Manchester Institute and George William Spence of Newcastle firm Gillespie, Swithinbank & Co., requesting the formation of a national professional accountancy organisation. |
| 1872 (21 May) | A special meeting of the Council of the Institute of Accountants in London is chaired by William Turquand to discuss widening the scope of the Institute to include accountants from the provinces. Membership is accordingly widened to accountants throughout the UK. The name is changed from Institute of Accountants in London to Institute of Accountants. |
| 1872 (Jul) | A special General Meeting of the Institute of Accountants is held to approve recent changes to the rules. |
| 1872 (Oct) | A General Meeting of the Institute of Accountants confirms the changes. |
| 1874 (10 Mar) | The Council of the Institute of Accountants invites four leading provincial accountants, Harwood Walcot Banner of Liverpool, Henry Webster of Blackburn of Bradford, Edward Carter of Birmingham and George Edwin Swithinbank of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, to join in an effort to increase nation-wide membership (check date). |
| 1874 (Apr) | Annual General Meeting of the Institute of Accountants confirms appointment of the four new members. |
| 1874 (Oct) | The Accountant begins publication. |
| 1874 (Dec) | The Accountant's Diary and Directory edited by Alfred Harper is published by Williams & Strahan. |
| 1876 | Frederick Whinney, who will later serve as President between 1884-1888, leads a motion to enlarge the Council of the Institute of Accountants by three additional members. |
| 1876 (Apr) | At the 5th Annual General Meeting of the Institute of Accountants there is a discussion of the plans to enlarge the Council. |
| 1876 (Jun) | T. A. Welton resigns office of Secretary of the Institute of Accountants but agrees to continue until a replacement can be found. |
| 1877 | A new Bankruptcy Bill is introduced and Government appoints a Select Committee of the House of Commons to investigate the Companies Acts of 1862 and 1867. Welton attends the Select Committee meetings and reports back to the profession. It is discovered that following bankruptcy cases liquidators were frequently holding on to assets instead of distributing them to creditors. Institute members are asked to reveal their undistributed assets and they are found to total £66,48718s 10d. |
| 1877 (Feb) | William Turquand is elected President of the Institute of Accountants following Quilter's retirement. Ball becomes Vice President. W. G. Howgrave succeeds T. A. Welton as Secretary. |
| 1877 | Turquand gives evidence on the conduct of liquidations to the Select Committee. Despite objections on behalf of the profession, the Committee resolves to remove insolvency work from accountants. This was later enforced with the passing of the Bankruptcy Act in 1883. |
| 1877 (26 Apr) | At the Annual General Meeting of the Institute of Accountants Frederick Whinney and two friends are elected to the Council. |
| 1877 (14 Mar) | Sheffield Institute of Accountants is formed. |
| 1877 (Jun) | The Institute of Accountants leases new offices in 3 Copthall Buildings. Howgrave begins to prepare an index of useful cases affecting the profession. Relevant reference, law books and reports are purchased and copies of the accounts of leading railway, banking, and other public companies are requested for the Institute's Library. A clerk's register is established and an examination system for the admission new Associate Members is inaugurated. |
| 1878 (3 May) | The Council of the Institute of Accountants resolves to improve its status by incorporation through an Act of Parliament. |
| 1878 (Nov) | The Council of the Institute of Accountants hears a draft of the proposed Bill seeking incorporation. The London Gazette publishes the Institute's intention. The Society of Accountants applies to the Lord Mayor and Corporation of London asking to be constituted as a 'sworn body of Accountants'. |
| 1878 (31 Dec) | The Society of Accountants sends a deputation to the Council of the Institute of Accountants suggesting an amalgamation of the two bodies. |
| 1879 | A Companies Act is passed requiring all banks to have properly audited accounts. |
| 1879 (Jan) | The Council of the Institute of Accountants formally considers merging with the Society of Accountants and concludes it is a good idea in principle if satisfactory terms can be arranged. |
| 1879 (14 Jan) | The Institute of Accountants receives deputations from by the Liverpool Society, the Manchester Institute, the Sheffield Institute and the Accountants' Incorporation Association requesting affiliation should they gain incorporation. |
| 1879 (16 Jan) | At a joint meeting the Council of the Institute of Accountants and the Society of Accountants in England discuss the question of admission to the Institute those also practising in business. |
| 1879 (22 Jan) | The Council of the Institute of Accountants meets to discuss the question of admitting accountants also practising in other businesses. They unanimously agree 'that the true interest of the profession requires that eligibility for membership should be limited to persons whose business is that of public accountant'. |
| 1879 (4 Feb) | At a Council meeting of the Institute of Accountants a Committee is constructed to complete the Bill, monitor its progress through Parliament, and report back. |
| 1879 (Feb) | The Society of Accountants in England meets to inform members that negotiations for the amalgamation of the Institute of Accountants and the Society of Accountants in England has ceased and that the Society is opposing the Bill. |
| 1879 | The Bill is handed to Lord Redesdale (House of Lords) and Sir John Lubbock (House of Commons) who consult the Duke of Richmond, Lord President of the Council. They advise the Institute of Accountants to drop the Bill and apply instead for a Royal Charter. |
| 1879 (31 Jul) | A draft petition for a Royal Charter is read to the Council of the Institute of Accountants. It is signed by the Presidents of the Institute of Accountants, the Society of Accountants in England, the Manchester and Sheffield Institutes, the Liverpool Society and by two practitioners on behalf of the Accountants' Incorporation Association. Along with a draft of the proposed Charter, it is given to the Privy Council. |
| 1879 (Aug) | The Institute of Accountants' Vice-President, John Ball, dies. |
1880 - 1899
Royal Charter granted, the early organisation of ICAEW, the setting of standards for professional conduct, the construction of Chartered Accountants' Hall and the first application for ICAEW membership made by a woman.
| 1880 (24 Mar) | A Royal Charter of Incorporation is granted. By its terms the signatory bodies to the petition are to merge and form a new body called the 'Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales' that all the members of the signatory bodies are eligible to join. |
| 1880 (11 May) | The Royal Charter Order in Council is signed by Queen Victoria creating the new professional body called The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW). |
| 1880 (26 May) | At the first meeting of the ICAEW, W.G. Howgrave, Secretary of the old Institute of Accountants, is appointed Secretary at a salary of £400 per year. A clerk is appointed to assist him at a salary of 18 shillings per week. |
| 1880 | The College of Heralds grants the ICAEW a Coat of Arms. |
| 1880 | Scottish Institute of Accountants is formed. |
| 1881 (Apr) | A member is formally censured for advertising for work in liquidation cases under ICAEW's new disciplinary powers. |
| 1882 | Birmingham Chartered Accountant Students' Society formed. |
| 1883 | A new Bankruptcy Act is passed establishing the position of Official Receiver. This removes insolvency, a main sources of revenue, from accountants. Thereafter, all monies held by trustees in bankruptcy had to be turned over to the Board of Trade's Bankruptcy Estates Account. The ICAEW Council is criticised for not protesting against it. |
| 1883 | Robert Harding ends his term as ICAEW's second president by taking up the post of Principle Official Receiver at a salary of £2000 a year. |
| 1884 | At the ICAEW Annual General meeting the Council decides to raise the standard of new entrants by making the entrance examinations more difficult. |
| 1885 | Society of Accountants and Auditors is formed by those unable to gain admittance to the ICAEW due to its tough entrance requirements. |
| 1885 | Corporate Treasurers' and Accountants Institute is formed. |
| 1886 (24 Mar) | Chartered Accountants Benevolent Association is established so successful accountants can contribute towards those in difficulty. |
| 1887 | A special meeting of the ICAEW was held in London to celebrate the jubilee of HM Queen Victoria on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th June 1887. The three day event included a meeting at the Cannon Street Hotel; a dinner at the Criterion; and a conversazione at the Grosvenor Gallery. The celebrations culminated in a trip for members and their friends to Tilbury by steamer. |
| 1888 | The Financial Times begins publication. |
| 1888 | ICAEW reaches agreement to take on the lease of a plot of land in Colman Street Buildings for 999 years (now Moorgate Place) |
| 1888 | Chartered Accountants' Dining Club founded. |
| 1888 (14 May) | Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI) is incorporated by Royal Charter. |
| 1890 | The architect John Belcher RA, wins an open competition to design a new headquarter building for the Institute to be called Chartered Accountants' Hall, in Moorgate Place in the City of London. Hamo Throncroft, R.A. is commissioned to create a sculptured frieze for the Hall's exterior. |
| 1890 | The foundation stone was laid in Moorgate Reception. Underneath is a copy of the Times, the Accountant, the Royal Charter, Institute's by-laws, a list of members and silver and copper coins of the day. |
| 1890 | Kalyan Subramani Aiyar (1859-1940), better known as K. S. Aiyar, becomes the first Indian admitted to membership of the Society of Accountants and Auditors (SAA). K. S. Aiyar set up his own accountancy practice in 1900, probably the oldest accountancy firm in India established by an Indian. |
| 1891 | ICAEW refuses admission to the first application for membership made by a woman, Mary Harris Smith. |
| 1891 | Corporation of Accountants in Scotland is formed. |
| 1893 | Chartered Accountants' Hall is completed and opened by the President of the year, Edwin Waterhouse. |
| 1893 | The Society of Accountants and Auditors proposes strengthening the profession. Its recommendations become the Public Accountants Bill No. 1 calling for their members and those of the ICAEW alone to constitute the profession and bar all others from practising. A Public Accountants Bill No. 2 is drafted by the ICAEW calling for the registration their members to prevent all others from practising as public accountants. Both fail. |
| 1894 | Public Accountants of Liverpool is formed. |
| 1895 | The issue of admitting women to ICAEW is raised. The President of that year, Charles Fitch Kemp, comments that he would be so embarrassed by the admission of women that he would rather retire than consider it. |
| 1896 | Public Accountants of Liverpool is absorbed by association into the Society of Accountants and Auditors. |
| 1897 | A Chartered Accountants Bill is drafted by the Society of Accountants and Auditors and ICAEW calling for the amalgamation of the two bodies with the formation of an extended Institute. |
| 1897 (13 Jan) | Two Special General Meetings are held simultaneously by the Society of Accountants and Auditors and the Institute to discuss the proposal. Both reject the idea. The two bodies do not merge until 1957. |
| 1899 | Scottish Institute of Accountants is absorbed into the Society of Accountants and Auditors. |
1900 - 1918
The term 'accountant' is defined, the first Indian qualifies as an ICAEW Chartered Accountant and the first women are admitted to the profession.
| 1900 | A Companies Act is passed requiring that all limited companies must produce an audited balance sheet annually. |
| 1901 | Corporate Treasurers' and Accountants' is renamed the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants. |
| 1901 | Nottingham Society of Chartered Accountants is founded on 27 March 1901 (taken from the date of the meeting at which the rules and regulations were settled according to The Accountant, 11 May 1901). |
| 1903 | Institution of Certified Public Accountants is formed. |
| 1903 | A Revenue Act is passed and defines the term 'accountant'. The act limits the right of audience before the Commissioner of Taxes to members of 'an incorporated body of accountants' only. This led to a proliferation of bodies in accountancy and was further defined by the Income Tax Act 1918. |
| 1904 | London Association of Accountants is formed. |
| 1905 | Central Association of Accountants is formed. |
| 1908 | Society of Accountants and Auditors is renamed the Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors. |
| 1908 | Ardeshir Edulji Cama (1879-1948) becomes the first Indian to qualify as an ICAEW Chartered Accountant, under the name of Arthur Charles Rice, establishing the firm A.C. Rice & Co. in Bombay. From 1914 onwards, he appears in the ICAEW List of Members under his Indian name. Mr Cama served Gwalior State as Accountant-General and then as Finance Minister, before being given the powers of a Prime Minister. |
| 1909 | The Companies (Consolidation) Act is passed requiring all companies to have properly audited accounts and making the auditor responsible for reporting to shareholders. |
| 1909 | President of the Board of Trade, Winston Churchill, requests the Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors and the ICAEW admit women candidates. |
| 1909 (13 May) | London Association of Accountants admits the first woman accountant, Ethel Ayres Purdie. |
| 1909 | A draft Bill is prepared calling for a register of practising accountants in England and Wales to add status to the profession. It fails as there is no provision for Scotland and Ireland. It is reintroduced in March 1911 but opposed in the house. |
| 1914 - 1918 | World War One brings an increase in accountancy work and accountants gain expertise in managing companies and banks, particularly those of enemy states. Accountants assist in the control of costs in relation to the production of ammunitions: management accounting is born. Wartime taxes increase the amount of taxation work available to accountants. |
| 1914 | The Prince of Wales National Relief Fund is formed. A Board of Audit Control is appointed to supervise income and control distribution. Local committees throughout the UK are formed and Institute members operate it for no remuneration. |
| 1914 | The Local Legislative Committee creates an 'audit clause' by stating that where professional audit is used the standards of the ICAEW and the of Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors alone should apply. This prevents new bodies of accountants from undertaking this range of work. However, each successive Bill to be presented has to repeat the claim. The new bodies challenge this each time but lose. |
| 1914 | The Postponement of Payments Act confirms a moratorium on the payment of certain negotiable instruments. |
| 1915 | The National Registration Act creates compulsory registration of all persons between 15 and 65. |
| 1915 | Conscription is introduced. The work of Chartered Accountants is recognised as being of national importance. |
| 1918 | Passing of the Income Tax Act repeals the working of the Revenue Act 1903 by stating 'An accountant means a person who has been admitted as a member of an incorporated society of accountants'. |
| 1918 | The Representation of the People Act gives women over 30 and men over 21 the vote. Women can also stand as MPs if they own property or are married to a property owner. |
| 1918 (17 Oct) | Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors holds a Special Meeting to discuss the admission of women. |
| 1918 (11 Nov) | Armistice day. |
| 1918 (12 Nov) | The Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors changes their rules to allow the admission of women. |
1919 - 1938
The World's first female Chartered Accountant, the extension of Chartered Accountants' Hall and the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company fraud trial.
| 1919 | Mary Harris Smith, a public accountant with a London Practice who was refused admission to the ICAEW because she was a woman in 1891, applies to join the Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors. The Society makes her an Honorary Fellow as they had previously given up Council powers to elect members in special cases without examination. |
| 1919 | The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act is passed making it illegal for the ICAEW to bar women from membership. Mary Harris Smith renews her application. |
| 1919 | Institute of Cost and Works Accountants is formed to support the new area of cost control work arising from the First World War. |
| 1920 (May) | Mary Harris Smith is admitted as a fellow of ICAEW and becomes the first woman Chartered Accountant in the world. |
| 1920 | Five women register as articled clerks. |
| 1920 | Miss H. M. Claridge, the daughter of the President of the ICAEW that year, is the first woman to be admitted to the Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors by examination. |
| 1922 | Institute of Cost and Works Accountants applies for a Royal Charter but is unsuccessful. |
| 1922 | Sir Edward Cecil Moore is the first Chartered Accountant to hold office as Lord Mayor of London. He goes on to become ICAEW President the following year but unfortunately dies during his term of office. |
| 1923 | Institute of Poor Law Accountants is formed. |
| 1923 | British Association of Accountants and Auditors is formed. |
| 1924 | Miss Ethel Watts becomes the first woman Chartered Accountant to be admitted to the ICAEW by examination. |
| 1927 | Society of Statisticians and Accountants is formed. |
| 1928 | The Equal Franchise Act gives the vote to all adults over 21. |
| 1928 | Faculty of Auditors is formed. |
| 1929 | Sir Thomas Robinson, Chairman of the House of Commons Committee, calls for the accounting professionals to set up a register of properly qualified persons to prevent unqualified persons from practising under the definition of the Revenue Act 1903 and the Income Tax Act 1918. |
| 1929 | Institute of Company Accountants is formed. |
| 1930 (7 Feb) | Viscount Goschen chairs a Board of Trade Committee hearing on the question of registration. Seventeen different bodies of accountants give their views. |
| 1930 (31 Jul) | Board of Trade Committee decides against registration. |
| 1930 | 50th Anniversary of the ICAEW. William Plender of Sundridge, ICAEW President 1929-1930, becomes the first Chartered Accountant to receive a peerage. |
| 1930 | The first extension to Chartered Accountants' Hall is built by J.J. Joass, a partner of the original architect. |
| 1930 | London Association of Accountants Ltd challenges the audit clause 1914 and successfully adds its name to the list of recognised bodies able to conduct audit work. |
| 1931 | Association of International Accountants is formed. |
| 1931 | The Chairman of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, Lord Kylsant, and its auditor, Chartered Accountant H. J. Morland, are tried for fraud. The case concerns concealment of transfers from secret reserves into the profit account when in fact the company had made heavy losses. Morland was found not guilty but the Chairman was imprisoned for a year. Accountancy bodies recognise the importance of stating true profit and loss accounts but this does not become a legal requirement until 1967. |
| 1931 | Association of International Accountants is formed. |
| 1933 | London Association of Accountants is renamed the London Association of Certified Accountants. The Municipal Corporations (Audit) Act is passed recognising the Association as a body of qualified accountants. |
| 1933 | Central Association of Accountants is absorbed by association into the Institution of Certified Public Accountants. |
| 1935 | Members of the Institute of Poor Law Accountants are admitted to the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants. |
| 1936 | Incorporated Association of Cost and Industrial Accountants is formed. |
| 1938 | Corporation of Accountants Ltd joins the London Association to become the Association of Certified and Corporate Accountants. |
| 1938 | Society of Accountants and Statisticians goes into liquidation. To date it is the only accountancy body to be unsuccessful. |
1939 - 1967
The establishment of courses for servicemen returning from the Second World War, the publication of the first Member's Handbook and the extension of Chartered Accountants' Hall.
| 1939 - 1945 | World War Two sees the area around Moorgate Place badly damaged during bombing raids on London but Chartered Accountants' Hall escapes save a few broken windows. Approximately 3000 Institute members, over a quarter of the membership, serve with the Armed Forces. |
| 1939 | Association of Certified and Corporate Accountants is formed following the merger of the Corporation of Accountants in Scotland and the London Association of Certified Accountants. |
| 1939 | Tax is levied on the 'excess profit' above the standard at 60 per cent. |
| 1940 | Tax is levied on the 'excess profit' above the standard at 100 per cent. |
| 1940 | 'Pay-as-you-earn' tax is introduced to simplify tax collection. |
| 1941 | Institution of Certified Public Accountants merges with the Association of Certified and Corporate Accountants. |
| 1941 | The value of accountants in the management of the war effort starts a movement to give non-practising members some influence in the ICAEW and possibly representation on the Council. |
| 1942 | At the Annual General Meeting of the ICAEW it is decided that non-practising members should not sit on the Council. Instead a Taxation and Financial Relations Committee (later the Taxation and Research Committee) is set up to deal with matters affecting taxation and business finance with the Inland Revenue and the Government. This signals the start of non-practising members dealing directly with Institute Affairs. |
| 1942 | Society of Commercial Accountants is formed. |
| 1943 | F. R. M. de Paula, Controller of Finance for the Dunlop Rubber Company is the first non-practising member to be elected to the Institute's Council. |
| 1945 | ICAEW organises weekend 'refresher' courses and regional lectures for returning servicemen in the profession. This later developed into a programme of 'Continuing Professional Development' that is still in operation today. |
| 1945 | The Accountants’ Joint Parliamentary Committee (AJPC) is set up, comprising ICAEW and a number of other professional bodies. It is replaced by the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) in 1974. |
| 1947 | The Companies Act 1947 introduces the requirement that all accounts prepared for compliance with the Companies Acts should give a ‘true and fair’ view. |
| 1948 | The Companies Act 1948 is passed. Emphasis is given, for the first time, to the profit and loss account and the expenses which must be disclosed, the nature of the report required by the auditors and the categories of persons entitled to become auditors. |
| Circa 1950s |
The first ICAEW Member's Handbook is published offering guidance to members. |
| 1950 | Association of Practising and Commercial Accountants is formed. |
| 1951 | Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) is formed following the merger of the Society of Accountants in Edinburgh, the Institute of Accountants and Actuaries in Glasgow and the Society of Accountants in Aberdeen. |
| 1954 | Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors is renamed the Society of Incorporated Accountants. |
| 1955 (Christmas) |
The Society of Incorporated Accountants and the ICAEW agree terms to merge. Members of the Society are to disband and join either the ICAEW, ICAS or ICAI. |
| 1957 (1 Nov) | The Society of Incorporated Accountants goes into liquidation. |
| 1957 | Members of the Society of Incorporated Accountants become members of the ICAEW, ICAI and ICAS. |
| 1958 (January) | Accountancy becomes the official journal of ICAEW. |
| 1958 | ICAEW creates its first Committee on Education and Training to carry out a comprehensive review of its approach to the education and training appropriate for entrants. The Committee reported back in 1961, making recommendations to raise the educational standard for entry and to ensure that articled clerks received adequate training and guidance. |
| 1958 | The Malayan Association of Certified Public Accountants, now the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA), was founded. Four of the seven founder members were ICAEW Chartered Accountants - Harold Roger Villiers, Yeoh Cheang Kang, Chow Hin Yong and Herbert Kitchener Franklin. |
| 1959 | Architect William Whitfield is commissioned to extend Chartered Accountants' Hall by the inclusion of a Great Hall for large meetings. |
| 1961 | Association of Practising and Commercial Accountants is absorbed by association to the British Association of Accountants and Auditors. |
| 1963 | Richard Vaughan, an ICAEW Chartered Accountant, becomes the last man officially discharged from National Service on 16 May 1963. |
| 1964 | ICAEW Council establishes a Research Committee to explore subjects not covered elsewhere. As a follow up to the developments of 1958-61, ICAEW Council sets up a committee to keep education and training policies under constant review. |
| 1966 | With ICAEW President Henry Benson as a driving force, the Accountants International Study Group (AISG) is established. Other members include the professional accountancy bodies in the US and Canada. The group begins publishing papers on important accounting topics, many of these leading the way for the international standards that follow. |
| 1967 | Companies are required by law to publish a sales figure in the profit and loss account. |
1968 - 1999
Increased co-operation between the UK accountancy bodies and the centenary of ICAEW.
| 1968 | The first ICAEW president from industry, Stanley Dixon, holds office in 1968-1969. |
| 1968 (25 Jul) | ICAEW proposes two major changes to the profession. Firstly, a merger of the ICAEW, ICAS, ICAI, the Association of Certified Corporate Accountants, the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants and the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants into three geographical Institutes in England & Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Secondly, a reduction of the number of qualifications to two: the Chartered Accountant (signifying highly qualified) and the Licentiate Accountant (less qualified). |
| 1970 (January) | ICAEW establishes the Accounting Standards Steering Committee (ASSC). A number of other professional accountancy bodies in the UK join as members. The first Statement of Standard Accounting Practice (SSAP) is issued in January 1971. The ASSC is renamed the Accounting Standards Committee (ASC) in 1976. |
| 1970 (24 Jun) | At a joint meeting at the Albert Hall the proposals to merge the professional bodies and change the qualification structure are discussed. Opponents speak against it and at their own expense canvas every member to vote against it. Their efforts pay off as they win the postal vote and the proposals fail. |
| 1970 (May) | The extended and new building at Chartered Accountants' Hall is opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. |
| 1971 | Following the extension to Chartered Accountants’ Hall, the Great Hall is awarded a Certificate of Commendation from the Concrete Society. By suspending five new floors of office space from beams supported on the outside, architect William Whitfield successfully created a Great Hall free from pillars on the inside. |
| 1971 | Association of Certified and Corporate Accountants is renamed the Association of Certified Accountants. |
| 1972 | A Council Policy Statement on Education and Training sees changes to the ACA with pass marks raised, more difficult exam questions and an emphasis on testing students' analytical skills. |
| 1973 (1 January) | The UK joins the European Economic Community (EEC). |
| 1973 | The International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) is formed as an international accounting standards setting body. Former ICAEW President Sir Henry Benson is its first chairman. |
| 1973 | Institute of Cost and Works Accountants is renamed the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants. |
| 1973 | Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants is renamed the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. (CIPFA) |
| 1973 | Faculty of Auditors is absorbed by association into the British Association of Accountants and Auditors. |
| 1973 | International Association of Book-keepers is founded. |
| 1974 | Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) is established partly solving the problem of the proliferation of accountancy bodies and helping the co-ordination of efforts. |
| 1974 | Institute of Company Accountants is renamed the Society of Company and Commercial Accountants. |
| 1977 | International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) is founded. |
| 1978 | An Education and Training Directorate is created by ICAEW to review the ACA exam structure and syllabus with first stage exams becoming more difficult. |
| 1978 (Jun) | Association of Technicians in Finance and Accounting (ATFA) is launched backed by the ICAEW, ICMA and CIPFA. |
| 1980 | Centenary of the ICAEW. |
| 1980 (12 May) | ICAEW Centenary Thanksgiving Service held in St Paul's Cathedral |
| 1980 (12-15 May) | Three day ICAEW Centenary Conference at Royal Festival Hall opens. HM Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh attend a reception at the conference. HM the Queen was presented with the number 1 Centenary Plate from a special limited edition of 2000 fine bone china plates featuring the Institute's coat of arms and details taken from the architecture of Chartered Accountants' Hall. The opening speaker was the Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Howe, Chancellor of the Exchequer. |
| 1980 | British Association of Accountants and Auditors is absorbed by association into the Society of Company and Commercial Accountants. |
| 1980 | Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) is incorporated by unifying the Institute of Accounting Staff (IAS) and the Association of Technicians in Finance and Accounting (ATFA). |
| 1981 | The Companies Act 1981 sees the most fundamental changes in the law relating to company accounting and disclosure for 30 years. |
| 1983 (December) | Gloucester House, the ICAEW's new building in Milton Keynes (replacing the offices at City House and St. Alphage House in London) is completed. |
| 1984 (1 October) | ICAEW's revised guidelines on Publicity for and Advertising of Professional Services come into effect. Changes include the permission for members to advertise their services to the public in newspapers and other media for the first time. |
| 1984 (29 October) | Gloucester House is officially opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester. |
| 1984 | Association of Certified Accountants is renamed the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants. |
| 1985 | Regulation of the insolvency profession is introduced by the Insolvency Act 1985 (subsequently replaced by the Insolvency Act 1986). This sees certain professional bodies, including ICAEW, recognised for the purposes of authorising their members to act as insolvency practitioners. |
| 1986 | The Financial Services Act 1986 requires investment business to be regulated by Recognised Professional Bodies when undertaken by professionals operating outside the sphere of their normal business. ICAEW becomes one of the Professional Bodies recognised for this purpose. |
| 1986 | Institute of Cost and Management Accountants is renamed the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). |
| 1989 | The Companies Act 1989 introduces the requirement that a company auditor must be a member of a recognised supervisory body and hold a recognised professional qualification. This sees ICAEW become a Recognised Supervisory Body and Recognised Qualifying Body for statutory audit. |
| 1990 | Society of Company and Commercial Accountants is renamed the Institute of Company Accountants. |
| 1990 | A new Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is announced by the UK Government. Its subsidiary body, the Accounting Standards Board, replaces the Accounting Standards Committee (ASC). |
| 1991 | The Cadbury Committee is established by the Financial Reporting Council, the London Stock Exchange and the accountancy profession to address the financial aspects of corporate governance. The agreement to establish the committee was made at a dinner held at Chartered Accountants’ Hall on 8 January 1991 and the committee was based in the building. |
| 1992 | In partnership with other major accountancy bodies, ICAEW launches ‘Women in Accountancy’ to help co-ordinate and publicise initiatives to support women within the profession. |
| 1992 (December) | In the wake of a number of high-profile corporate and financial failures, the Financial Aspects of Corporate Governance (the Cadbury Report) is published. It establishes the Cadbury Code, widely seen as the world’s first comply-or-explain governance code. |
| 1993 | ICAEW introduces an accounting case study into its final-stage exams, designed to ensure qualified chartered accountants have gained practical skills in addition to the theoretical elements of the profession. ICAEW also begins offering credit for prior learning against ACA exams for graduates from approved institutions and courses. |
| 1993 (July) | ICAEW opens an office in Brussels in response to the growing impact of EU legislation on the accountancy profession and on UK business. |
| 1995 | The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) establishes the Study Group on Directors' Remuneration under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Greenbury with a remit to identify good practice in determining directors' remuneration and to prepare a code of practice for UK PLCs. Many ICAEW members in senior positions within industry and in accountancy firms contributee submissions and KPMG provides professional support to the group. The final report of the group is published on 17 July 1995. |
| 1995 (November) | The Committee on Corporate Governance (the Hampel Committee) is established to review the recommendations of the Cadbury and Greenbury Committees. The Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) is one of the committee’s sponsors. |
| 1996 | Chartered Association of Certified Accountants is renamed the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). |
| 1998 | The Hampel Committee publishes its final report, recommending a single code of Corporate Governance. The Combined Code (later known as the UK Corporate Governance Code) is published, applying to UK listed companies. |
| 1999 | Following the publication of the Combined Code, the lack of guidance on the requirement for listed companies to include a narrative statement in their annual report leads to the to the creation of a working group under the auspices of ICAEW, chaired by Nigel Turnbull. Internal Control: Guidance for Directors on the Combined Code (the Turnbull Report) is published in September 1999, setting out best practice on internal control for UK listed companies. The Turnbull guidance was a major step forward, leading to better understanding and management of risks in UK listed companies. |
2000 - 2014
ENRON, Arthur Andersen, and the adoption of international accounting standards.
| 2000 | The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 introduces changes to the regulation of investment business. The previous recognised professional bodies regime is discontinued and ICAEW becomes a Designated Professional Body, licensing firms to undertake exempt regulated activities under the new Act. |
| 2001 (April) | Formation of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) after a restructuring of the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC). |
| 2001 (2 Dec) | Enron, the once global energy trading giant, files for protection under Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. |
| 2002 | Enron's Auditor Arthur Andersen discloses that staff at its Houston office had shredded documents and deleted emails relating to the Enron Audit. Andersen is indicted by the Justice Department on charges on obstruction of justice relating to the enquiry into Enron's Accounting. |
| 2002 (Mar) | International Accounting Standards are adopted by the European Union with changeover target of 2005. |
| 2002 (15 Jun) | US Andersen is found guilty of charges of obstruction of justice in relation to the Enron collapse. |
| 2002 (Aug) | The Sarbanes-Oxley Act is passed in the United States in the wake of the Enron scandal. |
| 2002 | The Proceeds of Crime Act makes it an offence for accountants not to report suspicions about their clients to the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS). |
| 2003 (January) | In the wake of the collapse of Arthur Andersen and the Enron scandal, the Smith Report is published on auditor independence, providing guidance to audit committees. |
| 2003 (January) | The Higgs Report on the role of non-executive Directors is published. |
| 2003 (29 Jan) | UK Government Announces that the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) will assume the functions of the Accountancy Foundation to create a unified, independent UK regulator. |
| 2003 | Institute of Company Accountants merges with the Association of International Accountants. |
| 2004 | ICAEW introduces dedicated qualifications in International Accounting Standards (IAS)/International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the first of a new suite of professional business and accountancy qualifications. These can be taken by members as well as non-members, a first for ICAEW. |
| 2004 | Accounting for Sustainability (A4S) established by HRH The Prince of Wales. |
| 2004 | The Audit Quality Forum is formed. Hosted by ICAEW, it brings together representatives of auditors, investors, business and regulatory bodies for debate about how to improve quality and confidence in independent audit. Since launch it has helped to drive change in auditing that has not required new legislation or regulation. |
| 2004 | Graham Ward, ICAEW President in 2000-2001, is appointed President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). |
| 2004 | The ICAEW Business Confidence Monitor is first published, a comprehensive survey of business conditions and the health of the UK economy informed by senior business professionals, ICAEW Chartered Accountants. |
| 2004 (1 April) | The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) becomes the UK's unified independent regulator for corporate reporting and governance, following the package of reforms announced by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in 2003. |
| 2004 (December) | International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) are adopted in the UK, with the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) issuing adapted versions of the standards known as ISAs (UK). |
| 2005 | Listed companies in the UK required to present their financial statements using the international accounting standards adopted by the EU for periods commencing on or after 1 January 2005. |
| 2005 | ICAEW’s Practice assurance scheme commences, providing a framework of quality assurance principles and offering practice support and advice, together with monitoring visits. |
| 2005 (25 May) |
HRH The Prince of Wales makes a speech during the 125th anniversary celebrations of ICAEW, focusing on accounting for sustainability. |
| 2005 | Formation of the Global Accounting Alliance for which ICAEW was a founding member. The Alliance was formed in response to the emerging challenges of globalisation. The GAA promotes quality professional services, global membership support, information sharing and collaboration on important international issues between leasing professional accountancy bodies in significant capital markets. |
| 2006 | Strategic reports are introduced as a requirement under The Companies Act 2006, providing a review of the business during the financial year and of the risks faced by the company going forward. |
| 2006 | Accountancy magazine is provided as a core part of the subscription to all ICAEW members and students, making it the largest, high quality accounting journal in the world with a circulation in excess of 149,000. |
| 2006 | ICAEW helps establish a cross-party Associate Parliamentary Group on Business, Finance and Accountancy as a forum for business to talk directly to MPs and peers. |
| 2007 | HRH The Prince of Wales becomes the first honorary member of ICAEW, after being nominated in recognition of his work to persuade the accountancy profession to tackle the issue of sustainability, through his leadership of the Accounting for Sustainability project. A spokesman for Clarence House said the prince was 'delighted and honoured' to be ICAEW's first honorary member. |
| 2007 | Introduction of anti-money laundering supervision under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 sees ICAEW become a supervisory body for its member firms. |
| 2007 | Launch of ICAEW’s new brand, including a revised Economia logo. |
| 2007 | A memorandum of understanding is signed between ICAEW and CIPFA, the two bodies agreeing to co-operate more closely on a range of initiatives. |
| 2008 (March) | A move from ICAEW’s offices at Gloucester House and leased offices at Silbury Court, in Milton Keynes, to Metropolitan House, ICAEW’s new office in Milton Keynes, is completed. |
| 2008 (December) | A new business centre opens in Chartered Accountants’ Hall incorporating the Library, private meeting rooms, work and study spaces and a lounge. |
| 2009 | ICAEW opens its first regional offices in Singapore and Dubai. |
| 2010 | The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and ICAEW publish the world’s first Audit Firm Governance Code. |
| 2011 | Launch of ICAEW’s Business Advice Service. |
| 2011 | Paul Druckman, ICAEW President in 2004-2005, is appointed Chief Executive of the International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC). |
| 2012 (February) | A new magazine, Economia, replaces Accountancy as the official all-member monthly. |
| 2012 (July) | Reforms are carried out to enable the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) to operate as a unified regulatory body with enhanced independence. |
| 2012 | FRS 100 and FRS 101 are published by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), the first two standards forming part of a new UK GAAP framework. |
| 2013 | Launch of Chartered Accountants Worldwide, a new chartered accountants group formed of ICAEW and five other international chartered accountant bodies. Within a decade it will grow to comprise 15 Chartered Accountancy member institutes, representing over 1.8 million dedicated members and students across more than 190 countries. |
| 2014 | ICAEW is the first non-legal body to be granted the right to authorize some legal services in the UK, starting with probate. |
| 2014 | ICAEW co-founds Access Accountancy, an initiative to improve access to the accountancy profession in the UK and improve diversity. |
| 2014 (31 January) | The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 comes into force, abolishing the Audit Commission. The Audit Commission closes on 31 March 2015 and new arrangements for the audit and accountability of local public bodies in England take effect from 1 April 2015. |
2015 -
The UK leaves the EU, the centenary of women in chartered accountancy and the first International Sustainability Standards are published.
| 2015 | New UK GAAP takes effect from 1 January 2015, replacing the old accounting standards and guidance from the Financial Reporting Council. |
| 2015 (November) | ICAEW becomes a recognised supervisory body for the licensing, registering and monitoring of auditors who wish to carry out audits of local public bodies. |
| 2016 | The ATOL Reporting Accountants Scheme is launched by the Civil Aviation Authority. ICAEW is one of the professional bodies approved to license, register and monitor firms which perform ATOL returns work. |
| 2016 (June) | EU Statutory Audit legislation comes into effect. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) becomes the new competent authority with ultimate responsibility for the regulation of statutory audit in the UK. |
| 2016 (23 June) | A referendum is held on UK membership of the European Union. The majority vote in favour of leaving the EU will reshape the regulatory landscape for individuals, businesses and the profession in the years ahead. |
| 2016 (13 July) | The Natural Capital Protocol is launched at Chartered Accountants’ Hall, providing a framework to help businesses incorporate natural capital into better decision making. |
| 2016 | Redevelopment of Chartered Accountants’ Hall, including the creation of a conference floor with a new auditorium. |
| 2017 | Reacquisition and reinstallation of the four stained glass windows, designed by Henry Holiday in 1896, as part of the refurbishment of ICAEW's Great Hall. Each of Holiday's windows has a theme commemorating different aspects of the accountancy profession and were originally intended to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The windows were originally installed in 1898 and, after being removed in 1970 for building work at Chartered Accountants' Hall, were sold on. They spent nearly 50 years in a barn owned by Peter Grant, manager of rock group Led Zeppelin, who was a collector of objects of 20th century design. Following his death, the windows were rediscovered by his family and put up for auction. |
| 2017 | The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) come together as AICPA & CIMA in an international alliance. |
| 2018 | Opening of a new One Moorgate Place members’ club in Chartered Accountant’s Hall. |
| 2018 (January) | Collapse of construction and services firm Carillion with £1.3 billion of debt |
| 2018 (April) | Following the collapse of Carillion, the Kingman Review is commissioned to review the operations of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). |
| 2018 (October) | The Competition and Markets Authority announces a market study into the statutory audit sector. |
| 2018 (November) | BEIS Select Committee Chair Rachel Reeves MP announces a parliamentary inquiry into the future of audit, looking at how to improve quality and competition in the audit market. |
| 2018 (December) | UK government announces the Brydon review into the quality and effectiveness of audit. |
| 2019 (March) | Following the Kingman Review, the UK Government announces plans for a new audit regulator, the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA), to replace the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). |
| 2020 | The last issue of Economia is published in December 2019/January 2020. A new Insights programme is launched by ICAEW including regular e-bulletins for members and the wider profession. |
| 2020 | ICAEW celebrates 100 years of women in chartered accountancy with a range of centenary initiatives and events. These include the installation of a City of London blue plaque on the site where the office of ICAEW member Mary Harris Smith, the first female chartered accountant in the world, stood. |
| 2020 (September) | ICAEW is the first major professional body in the world to become carbon neutral. |
| 2020 (December) | ICAEW is the first professional body to sign up to the Charter for Black Talent in Finance and the Professions. |
| 2020 (31 December) | The UK leaves the EU single market and customs union at the end of the transition period. |
| 2021 (March) | The White Paper, Restoring Trust in Audit and Corporate Governance, is published by the UK Government in response to the Brydon, Kingman and Competition and Market Authority reviews. Wide ranging reforms are proposed to corporate governance, audit standards and competition. |
| 2021 (November) | The formation of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) is announced by the IFRS Foundation Trustees at COP26 in Glasgow. |
| 2021 | The ICAEW Library & Information Service celebrates its 150th anniversary (the library was originally set up by the Institute of Accountants in 1871, predating ICAEW by almost a decade) |
| 2022 (May) | The outcome of the UK Government’s consultation Restoring Trust in Audit and Corporate Governance is published. Plans for reform include a new regulator the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA), greater accountability for big business and measures to address the dominance of the main audit firms. |
| 2023 (June) | The first two inaugural standards are published by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) |
| 2023 (September) | ICAEW and CIPFA sign a joint declaration, pledging to form an ever-closer strategic alignment. |
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