Gerald Van der Linde

In Reminiscences Van de Linde looks back on his life from 1917 recalling the personalities, travels and business that formed a significant part of his life from 1840 to 1917.

Van de Linde was elected as an ACA in August 1880 and his book briefly describes the application process (pages 212–213). A separate chapter gives an account of the first Chartered Accountants' Annual Meeting at Sheffield in 1910 (pages 392–398).

Van de Linde started his career working for the London offices of the Recife and Sao Francisco Pernambuco Railway Company in 1858. In his book Gérard primarily focuses on his travels in Europe and India, whilst covering an eclectic collection of events including the opening of Tower Bridge. The book also details meetings with personalities of the time including Napoleon III and President Jefferson Davis, as well as tales of some of the more memorable audits and business transactions that Gérald was involved with in his career.

Reminiscences was published by GEE in 1917 with all proceeds going to the Chartered Accountants' Benevolent Association. The LIS holds a signed copy of the book presented to the Library on 15 August 1917. Gerard 'endeared himself to the members of the profession by his constant willingness to read papers at Students' Societies throughout the country' (The Accountant 1922, p400) and he generously passed on all the profits from the printed book of his papers to CABA. At the time of his death, aged 83, Gerard Van de Linde was regarded as one of the most respected members of the profession.

Tragically, Gerard Van de Linde lived to see two sons die before him. Gérard Casper Van de Linde died of typhoid at the age of 25 (The Accountant 1889, p590) and Sidney Cooper Van de Linde died at the age of 26 after falling from a fifth floor window at the Hotel Metropole, Brighton (The Accountant 1896, p274).

A short biographical note on Gerrit Van de Linde, the father of Gérard Van de Linde, was reproduced from 'The Echo' in The Accountant (1895, p747).