Alasdair, 

thanks for the information.  Ok, so yes,  by the time I entered into articled clerkship (1970) the Society of Incorporated Accountants had been long subsumed and therefore not even given consideration.  Much like the Institute of Incorporated Engineers that both Roy B and I remember. 


However,  although Wikipedia doesn't report on it, which suggests it's even more consigned to the bin than I thought it would be,  i guarantee (because my memory is still very intact and it was a significant choice point in my life) at that time,  the key alternative was The Institute of Certified Accountants,  which appeared to have very much the role of the IIE at that time.  


Despite how massively off topic this is,  I do wonder if there is something to learn from this, regarding the probability of 'more senior'  Institutes subsuming 'more junior' ones.  This is,  of course,  exactly what happened to the IIE, it was subsumed into the IET. It's somewhat like Currys/PCWorld's defeat of just about every other major electrical retailer (e.g. Rumbelows), or maybe,  more accurately the absorption of Dixons and subsequent complete loss of that brand. 


I wish it were otherwise,  that it didn't suggest that the Incorporated Engineer is truly doomed,  but......


Two last snippets on the topic before I put this massive stray off topic to bed:


I recall that all the publicity and recruitment info back in the 60/70s was that Accountancy was the 'youngest profession' (yet still used the most archaic mechanism to qualification and membership of all,  being the only one still holding on to Articled Clerkship which,  as I previously mentioned,  was almost modern day slavery). I'm unclear whether this means that Engineering was an older profession or that it wasn't even considered a profession. 


Secondly,  from Wikipedia "The term accountant does not have the same legal protection in the United Kingdom as that given to other professions such as doctors and lawyers.". Hmmm... perhaps it's more analagous than we at first thought. 


Final apologies for such an outrageous stray off topic,  let's bring it to an end.

Alasdair, 

thanks for the information.  Ok, so yes,  by the time I entered into articled clerkship (1970) the Society of Incorporated Accountants had been long subsumed and therefore not even given consideration.  Much like the Institute of Incorporated Engineers that both Roy B and I remember. 


However,  although Wikipedia doesn't report on it, which suggests it's even more consigned to the bin than I thought it would be,  i guarantee (because my memory is still very intact and it was a significant choice point in my life) at that time,  the key alternative was The Institute of Certified Accountants,  which appeared to have very much the role of the IIE at that time.  


Despite how massively off topic this is,  I do wonder if there is something to learn from this, regarding the probability of 'more senior'  Institutes subsuming 'more junior' ones.  This is,  of course,  exactly what happened to the IIE, it was subsumed into the IET. It's somewhat like Currys/PCWorld's defeat of just about every other major electrical retailer (e.g. Rumbelows), or maybe,  more accurately the absorption of Dixons and subsequent complete loss of that brand. 


I wish it were otherwise,  that it didn't suggest that the Incorporated Engineer is truly doomed,  but......


Two last snippets on the topic before I put this massive stray off topic to bed:


I recall that all the publicity and recruitment info back in the 60/70s was that Accountancy was the 'youngest profession' (yet still used the most archaic mechanism to qualification and membership of all,  being the only one still holding on to Articled Clerkship which,  as I previously mentioned,  was almost modern day slavery). I'm unclear whether this means that Engineering was an older profession or that it wasn't even considered a profession. 


Secondly,  from Wikipedia "The term accountant does not have the same legal protection in the United Kingdom as that given to other professions such as doctors and lawyers.". Hmmm... perhaps it's more analagous than we at first thought. 


Final apologies for such an outrageous stray off topic,  let's bring it to an end.