10th November, 2022, Stephenson Smart
Celebrating International Accounting Day
We’re not really ones to blow our own trumpets, but we couldn’t let today go by without mentioning that for those in our profession - it’s a bit of a big one.
Each year on 10 November it’s International Accounting Day, so we’re marking it by having a look back at Stephenson Smart, our staff, and the importance of our job in helping people navigate the complexities of finance.
Accounting was considered an emerging profession as far back as 1494 when Luca Pacioli, an Italian accountant and mathematician published his first book.
The epic tome was published on 10 November of that year, which is why we celebrate this date, and included a detailed look at bookkeeping practices and explained the Venetian system of doing it.
It’s thought one of the first events to commemorate the day was held in San Diego in America in 1972, so today is 50 years since accounting companies across the world united to celebrate the day and to inspire others in exploring the career of accounting.
Here at Stephenson Smart, we have celebrated a few milestones of our own.
The company was first founded by original partner Robert Stanley Smart in King Street, King’s Lynn, in August 1920, making us 102 years old.
He was joined by other founding partner Joseph Stephenson and at the time paper ledgers were used to create double-entry records, with all the accounts hand stitched.
It’s a bit of a far cry from today where everything is digital and feeds into HMRC’s Making Tax Digital ethos.
We added our first extra office in Oak Street in Fakenham in 1989 and followed with a move into Cambridgeshire in 2010 by acquiring an office in Wisbech, and also Downham Market.
In 2014 we expanded again into March and a year later we acquired our sixth office in Gorleston.
To date we have over 120 members of staff, including six partners, one associate director and 23 managers.
We are always looking to grow, and this is demonstrated in our successful trainee programme, nurturing and supporting the next generation of accountants.
Our job is quite simply to help make businesses thrive, support the economy and help our clients understand and navigate finance, whether it be personal or professional.
We know that to many, preparing accounts isn’t something they feel a want or a need to spend time on - so we step in, so they don’t have to.
But let’s not forget, it’s about so much more than that.
We can help people set up a business, give business advice, aid recovery and plan for a successor.
We’re also a dab hand at bookkeeping, pension enrolment advice, forensic accounting and auditing.
Whatever you need there is always someone who will have the answer, whether it be the complexities of tax or the changes to payroll.
We pride ourselves on having specialists in areas that perhaps other companies don’t - we even have two accountants who are experts in ATOL Reporting.
This year it’s particularly important to thank our clients for their continued support. It’s been a tumultuous time for businesses with the ongoing effects of the pandemic and the cost of living rising to worrying highs.
We hope that by working with us we have helped take away even just a small amount of pressure by providing a finger on the pulse when it comes to anything financial.
Today we’re celebrating our wonderful business with cake, of course!
Related pages: History of Stephenson Smart