Female firsts

Crop of the portrait of Mary Harris Smith

First female ICAEW member

Mary Harris Smith was the first female member of both the SIAA and ICAEW.

Photograph of a hand written nentry in aledger of womens names

First ICAEW female member admitted by exam

In 1924 Ethel Watts became the first woman to qualify for ICAEW membership by examination and the second female ICAEW member.

Photograph of a World War 2 ATS anti aircraft crew

First female ICAEW articled clerk

The first woman to register as an articled clerk was Ethel Mary Lovelock, whose articles were signed on 31 December 1919, nearly 7 months before Ethel Watts.

A black and white posed photoragph of a group of man and one woman, all formally dressed

First female Council members

Phyliss Ridgway became the first female council member of a UK professional accountancy body when she was elected to the Council of the SIAA in 1940.

Image of a plaque with gold embossed names and dates

First female president

The first female ICAEW president was Dame Sheila Masters who served from 1999 – 2000.

First female 'Big 4' leaders

The first ICAEW members in executive an non-executives leadership rolls in the leading accountancy firms.

Photograph of the index from an archive register

Women in accounting: the pioneers

Research on the earliest female ICAEW articled clerks and their subsequent careers.

Women of the SIAA

The Society of Incorporated Accounts and Auditors had female members before the ICAEW.

Women at war

Female accountants and articled clerks also volunteered for or were called up for the armed forces or other civil defence roles as well as filling jobs vacated by men who were serving. Here we highlight some of those women.

Women at war

Photograph of a World War 2 proopaganda poster

History of the SIAA

The Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors was formed in 1885 and merged with ICAEW in 1957.

Celebrating 100 years of women in chartered accountancy

In May 2020, ICAEW marked a pivotal moment in our history’s advancement of access to the profession – the admittance of our first female member, Mary Harris Smith.

Timeline of the history of ICAEW and the accountancy profession

Steps to a professional body: a timeline of the development of the accountancy profession in the UK.

Books and articles in the Library collection

To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to book loans. You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports through our document supply service.

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Female Firsts

Find out about the key female firsts in accountancy who helped pioneer the way for women in the profession

First female ICAEW member

First ICAEW female member admitted by exam

First female ICAEW articled clerk

First female Council members

First female president

First female 'Big 4' leaders

Women in accounting: the pioneers

Women of the SIAA

You may also be interested in

Women at war

History of the SIAA

Celebrating 100 years of women in chartered accountancy

Timeline of the history of ICAEW and the accountancy profession

Books and articles in the Library collection

Can't find what you're looking for?