This study is concerned with practising accountants, that is individuals who are either in practice on their own or in partnership with others and who offer their services to the public at large rather than to a single employer. It presents the results of the first detailed and systematic search for accountants in London trade directories published before 1840. This source material is used to determine the pattern of growth in the number of accountants and to compare the content of the different series of directories. Further analysis of the data establishes the length of time an individual or firm continued to be listed in directories. Finally, the genealogy of those practices which were long-lived is considered in more detail.

Peter Boys has kindly given the ICAEW Library & Information Service permission to make this study available on this website.

Contents

• Introduction
• London in the eighteenth century and early nineteenth century
• Previous studies referring to accountants listed in trade directories
• London trade directories published before 1840
• Data collection and results
• Long-lived London accountancy practices
• Summary and conclusion
• References

Appendix A

• Accountants listed in eighteenth-century London trade directories not covered by tables 1 to 4

Appendix B

Accountants listed in London trade directories, 1800-1839

• Explanatory notes
• Post office London directories, 1800-1839
• Kent's London directories, 1800-1828
• Holden's London directories, 1800-1822
• Boyle's London directories, 1802-1804
• Johnstone's London directories, 1817-1818
• Robson's London directories, 1819-1839
• Pigot's London directories, 1822-1839

Publication

Published on this website in August 2011.

About the author

• Read more about Peter Boys