A person shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage from the exercise of any public function, or from being appointed to or holding any civil or judicial post or from entering or assuming or carrying on any civil profession or vocation
Digital archive of women's own stories
The heart of our centenary campaign brought to light the stories of our members in chartered accountancy, so we could fully grasp the progress we’ve made and understand what more there is to do to achieve gender equality in the profession.
We received over 200 stories which now make up our digital archive, open to all. While we were unable to publish every story online, the entire collection is being held with all other ICAEW archival material at the London Metropolitan Archives. This rich, completely unique source base will be available for future researchers working on the history of women in chartered accountancy.
Portrait commission
To mark her tenacity, determination and impact on the profession, ICAEW commissioned a portrait of Mary Harris Smith. An original work, this oil on canvas portrait by Toby Wiggins RP, is hung outside the Members' Room in Chartered Accountants’ Hall, as a permanent way to honour her achievement and the many female members who follow in her footsteps.
We are grateful to accounting historian Professor Stephen Walker, Edinburgh Business School, for supplying photographs of Mary Harris Smith.
ICAEW's centenary coverage
Throughout her presidential year, ICAEW President Fiona Wilkinson led celebrations, from June 2019 to May 2020, which fortuitously culminated in the month when we celebrated 100 years exactly of female membership at ICAEW.
The ICAEW Outstanding Achievement Award
In 2020, Mary Harris Smith was the recipient of the ICAEW Outstanding Achievement Award, which is given to an individual ICAEW member who has served the community in the broadest sense.