INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS IN ENGLAND AND WALES

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0074 CLC/B/124
Held at	: London Metropolitan Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma ›
Full title	: INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS IN ENGLAND AND WALES
Date(s)	: 1870-2011
Level of description	: Collection
Extent	: 1722 production units.
Name of creator(s)	: ICAEW | Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales x Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales was established by royal charter on 11 May 1880 reference code CLC/B/124/MS28431B). The charter incorporated the five English accountancy bodies established between 1870 and 1877: the Incorporated Society of Liverpool Accountants (now the Liverpool Society of Chartered Accountants); the Institute of Accountants; the Manchester Institute of Accountants (now the Manchester Society of Chartered Accountants); the Sheffield Institute of Accountants (now the Sheffield and District Society of Chartered Accountants); and the Society of Accountants in England.

Its objects as redefined in the supplemental charter of 1948 were, and are: "to advance the theory and practice of accountancy in all its aspects, including, in particular, auditing, financial management and taxation; to recruit, educate and train a body of members skilled in these arts; to preserve at all times the professional independence of accountants in whatever capacities they may be serving; to maintain high standards of practice and professional conduct by all its members; to do all such things as may advance the profession of accountancy in relation to public practice, industry, commerce and the public service".

Membership of the Institute at the time of incorporation was 599. The charter defined two classes of membership, fellows and associates, and provided for examination of those applying to be associate members. From the outset, the Institute aimed to raise the standards of new entrants to the profession. Its refusal to relax its strict admission requirements led, in 1885, to the formation of the Society of Accountants and Auditors by 300 accountants who did not qualify for membership of the Institute. This Society eventually amalgamated with the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Scottish and Irish Institutes in 1957.

The first application for membership by a woman was received in 1888, but was not allowed until after the First World War when the passing of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act in 1919 made it illegal to bar women from membership. In 1992, the Institute had over 100,000 members.

The Institute sets its own entry requirements, code of ethics and disciplinary and practising standards, and monitors the activities of members and firms to ensure that the standards are maintained. It undertakes technical work and research, and offers arrange of advisory services to its members and to the public. It is a member of the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies which includes the five major accountancy bodies in the British Isles, and is represented in the major international accountancy organisations. The Institute is governed by a council of 60 elected representatives who elect a president, deputy president and vice-president to hold office for one year. It is represented around the country by 22 district societies and 27 branch societies.

The Institute has operated a library from the outset, as one of the principal objects of the Institute. The ICAEW library catalogue of 1903 states 'The foundation of the Library of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales is of earlier date than that of the Charter: the Library of the then existing Institute of Accountants, founded in 1870, having been transferred when the Charter was granted on the 11th May 1880'.

The Institute was originally based at 3 Copthall Buildings. Its present headquarters building is Chartered Accountants' Hall, Moorgate Place, which was built in the early 1890s to the design of the leading Victorian architect, John Belcher, R. A. A second building was opened in Milton Keynes in 1984.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, including charter, minutes of the Council and various Committees; committee reports; bye-laws; circulars; correspondence; legal papers; legal advice; precedent books of complaints; membership lists and registers; scrapbooks; and papers regarding the International Congress of Accounting.

Records of the Institute of Accountants; including minute books; rules and regulations; and letter books.

Records of the Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors; including minute books; registers of members; and papers relating to staff.

Records of Chartered Accountants' Trustees Limited and associated funds, records of Chartered Accountants' Charities Limited and records of The Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies Limited (CCAB)

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MAIN MEMBERSHIP RECORDS AND INDEXES HAVE BEEN RETAINED BY THE INSTITUTE AND ONLY SUBSIDIARY RECORDS ARE HELD AT LMA. All enquiries about membership should therefore be directed to the Registrar, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Gloucester House, 399 Silbury Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK9 2HL.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

The collection has been arranged in five sub-groups as follows:
CLC/B/124-1: Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales;
CLC/B/124-2: Institute of Accountants;
CLC/B/124-3: Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors;
CLC/B/124-4: Chartered Accountants' Trustees Limited and associated funds and companies
CLC/B/124-5: Chartered Accountants' Charities Limited.

Conditions governing access:

Most records are freely available for study and research apart from the records of the Investigation and Disciplinary Committees, which are subject to an 80-year closure, and records relating to examinations, which are permanently closed and available only by permission of ICAEW. Further records relating to members are subject to restrictions under data protection legislation. Requests to view records with restricted access should be directed to ICAEW Library and Information Service staff who will liaise with the relevant ICAEW department on your behalf. Contact: library@icaew.com

48 hours' notice required for access to many unrestricted records.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor. Photographic reproductions of the unrestricted records may be made for private study, provided that no damage to the records will be caused by the copying process. Researchers requiring photographic reproductions for publication should apply for written permission from ICAEW.

Finding aids:

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

The records of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library by the Institute on 12 November 1992; there were additional deposits in May 2004 (Ms 35338), November 2004 (Ms 35860-6) and November 2005 (Ms 38403-9). The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Additional material was received in February 2012 and March 2015.

Allied Materials

Related material:

See CLC/118 for the Chartered Accountants' Benevolent Association.

Publication note:

For further information see: Howitt's 'The history of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales 1880-1965 and of its founder accountancy bodies 1870-1880'.

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
January to May 2011, updated October 2012 and May 2016.