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Historical resources

The ICAEW Library & Information Service holds a rich collection of material on the history and development of the accountancy profession, including a collection of online resources.

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The Guide to historical resources

This guide highlights some of the material and the tools available within the ICAEW Library & Information collection that can be used by researchers to trace the history of the profession, the evolution of accounting practice and the lives of accountants.

Accountants

Resources to help you research Chartered Accountants from the past

Accountancy Ancestors
An index to obituaries, biographical profiles and photographs to help researchers tracing their family history or who are studying the history of accountancy firms.
Biographical sources
The collection of the ICAEW Library & Information Service holds a range of biographical sources that provide an insight into the profession throughout the years
Historical pass lists and related information
This page covers sources of information on historical ICAEW examination results, including pass lists, records of Orders of Merit and prize-winners, and sets of statistics.
Membership Lists
A guide to our unique collection of over 220 series of membership lists for accountancy bodies from 1877 to the present day.
Tracing an accountancy ancestor
Trying to trace an ancestor or relative who was an accountant? The ICAEW Library & Information Service has produced a short guide for genealogists to highlight some of the resources that are available.
Wartime service
A collection of articles and resources that can help with research into members of your family or firm who served during the First and Second World Wars.
View more resources on accountants

Accountancy practices

Resources to help you trace the history of accountancy practices

Accountancy practices
The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides a range of articles, tools and resources that can help researchers looking into the history of accountancy practices.
Research a firm's history
This guide is intended to provide a guide to the resources available from the ICAEW Library & Information Service that can be used to trace the history of a firm.
Firm archives and histories
The ICAEW Library & Information Service holds a collection of resources that can be used to trace the history of a firm, including firms’ family trees, published histories and information on archival material held by the firms.
Firm newsletters
The ICAEW Library & Information Service maintains a collection of newsletters published by accountancy firms, including client-facing newsletters designed to provide updates in a particular area and internal staff newsletters.
view more resources on accountancy practices

The Accountancy profession

A collection of resources on the history of the accountancy profession

Research a firm's history
  • Research guide
This guide is intended to provide a guide to the resources available from the ICAEW Library & Information Service that can be used to trace the history of a firm.
Professional bodies
  • Research guide
The ICAEW Library & Information Service maintains a collection of material on the history and development of the professional bodies in the accountancy sector, including publications issued by many early accountancy bodies that are no longer in existence.
Guide to historical resources
  • Hub page
The collection of the ICAEW Library & Information Service includes many resources that can be used by researchers to trace the history of the profession, the evolution of accounting practice and the lives of accountants. In this guide we highlight some of the material within the collection and the tools available to help you make best use of it.
Timeline
  • Listing
Steps to a professional body - a timeline of the development of the Accountancy Profession in the United Kingdom.
Female Firsts
  • No content type
Find out about the key female firsts in accountancy who helped pioneer the way for women in the profession.
See more resources on the profession

ICAEW history

Resources on the history of ICAEW, its members and Chartered Accountants' Hall

Chartered Accountants' Hall
A brief history and overview of Chartered Accountants' Hall, home of ICAEW since 1893.
Institute Lady and the Coat of Arms
The identity of 'The Institute Lady' and the meaning of the coat of arms surrounding her is raised from time to time by curious members - and understandably so, as it can seem hard to imagine what connection the matronly figure with a ships rudder has to the Institute of Chartered Accountants...
ICAEW Library history
The ICAEW Library & Information Service can trace its origins to 1871, when the Institute of Accountants founded a collection of material on accounting and commercial law.
Mystery of the missing members
The article, The mystery of the missing members: the first 600 Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, by Peter Boys, is of particular significance to the early history of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
Past Presidents 1880-
A chronological list charting the Presidents, Vice Presidents and Deputy Presidents of the ICAEW from 1880 to the present day.
Training under articles
From the time of the incorporation of the Institute until the 1970s, prospective chartered accountants trained ‘under articles’.
View more resources on ICAEW history
Rare books

The ICAEW collection of historical accounting literature currently comprises around 3,000 volumes and includes works published from the 15th century to the early 20th century. The collection includes books and journals in a variety of languages.

Can't find what you're looking for?

The ICAEW Library can give you the right information from trustworthy, professional sources that aren't freely available online. Contact us for expert help with your enquiries and research.