Knox Cropper History

Knox Cropper was founded in 1869 in Sheffield by George Walter Knox, and has continued for over 150 years with the Knox name throughout. In that time there have been 33 partners and the firm has had some very exclusive clients.

  • 1869

    • Knox, Craig & Co is established by George Walter Knox in partnership with Alfred Thomas Craig.
      • The office is at Hooles Chambers in Sheffield.

  • 1877

    • Knox, Craig & Co becomes Knox, Craig & Burbidge when Noel William Burbidge joins as partner.

  • 1880

    • The ICAEW is formed. George Walter Knox is a member of the first Council of the Institute.

  • 1883

    • The name of the firm changes to Knox & Burbidge when Alfred Craig leaves the firm.

  • 1884

    • Knox & Burbidge opens an office in London at 7, Poultry, in addition to the Sheffield office.

  • 1887

    • The firm is renamed Knox, Burbidge, Cropper & Co on the arrival of Lionel Cuthbert Cropper.
      • Lionel Cropper remained a partner with the firm for the rest of his working life. He also became an eminent author of early accountancy texts.

  • 1890

    • The London office of Knox, Burbidge, Cropper & Co moves to 16 Finsbury Circus.

  • 1894

    • George Walter Knox becomes Vice President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

  • 1896

    • George Walter Knox becomes President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

  • 1898

    • The firm is renamed Knox Cropper when Noel Burbidge leaves.
      • Maurice Paul Shepherd and Frederick Ditchfield Morris join the firm in 1910.

  • 1915

    • The London office of Knox Cropper moves to South Place.
      • Maurice Shepherd leaves in 1918 due to ill health (tuberculosis) and dies in a sanatorium in Denmark in 1923.
      • John Talwyn Morris (Frederick’s brother) becomes a partner in 1919. There are now 11 partners and staff.
      • Alexander Key Fison becomes a partner in 1924.
        • Alexander was awarded the Military Cross in 1917 for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He was also awarded the Croix De Guerre and Legion of Honour Chevalier for excellent military conduct during WW1.

  • 1926

    • George Walter Knox dies on 13th November 1926.

  • 1927

    • Knox Scholarship prize founded.
      • This was originally awarded to the student with the highest aggregate number of marks in the Final Examination of the ICAEW. Today it is awarded for first place in the tax compliance paper.
      • Philip Valentine Rising is appointed partner in 1927.

  • 1930

    • Lionel Cuthbert Cropper dies on 24th August 1930.
      • Ronald Robert Coomber is appointed partner in 1936.
      • Articled Clerk Lieut. D Fogarty is killed in North Africa in 1942.
      • Ronald Casey becomes a partner in 1953.
        • Ronald spent the latter part of the war as a prisoner at Stalag Luft III and was in the queue for the Great Escape. Luckily he didn’t make the escape – and so survived to tell the tale. He remained with the firm throughout his career and died in 1985.
      • Ernest Coleman becomes a partner in 1955.

  • 1959

    • The firm is renamed Knox Cropper, Gedge & Co
      • Knox Cropper, Gedge & Co was formed on the amalgamation of Knox Cropper and Gedge, Ilott and McLeod. Anthony Cecil Simmons and Gordon Scott Kerr were appointed partners.
      • Terence Michael Levelis Marke was appointed partner in 1963, bringing clients from his sole practice in Chorleywood.

  • 1964

    • The firm opens an office in Haslemere, at 68 High Street.

  • 1966

    • The London office moves to Coventry House, South Place.

  • 1968

    • Knox Cropper, Gedge & Co incorporates J Hulbert Grove & Co.
      • James Hulbert Grove and Peter Hulbert Grove are appointed as partners.

  • 1971

    • The Haslemere office relocates to Tudor House, Station Approach, Haslemere.

  • 1972

    • The firm reverts to its former name Knox Cropper.
      • Rodney Owen Dulieu becomes a partner in 1977.
      • Brian Edward Gandee and Peter John Ford are appointed partners in 1978.

  • 1979

    • The London office of Knox Cropper moves to 16 New Bridge Street and the Haslemere office moves to 24 Petworth Road.
      • Mohammed Iqbal Hussein and Brian Edward Marshall are appointed partners in 1985.
      • Kevin Patrick Lally is appointed partner in 1989.
      • John Duncan Jones is appointed partner in 1990.

  • 1995

    • Knox Cropper opens an office in Hemel Hempstead.
      • The office is opened in the centre of Hemel Hempstead but soon relocates to its current location at 153-155 London Road, Apsley.
      • Neil Paul Wilkinson is appointed as Partner to head up the Hemel Hempstead office.
      • David Gerald Wilson is appointed partner in 1999.
      • Gregory Nicholas Christopher Dominic Stevenson and Geoffrey Phillip Burningham are appointed partners in 2000.

  • 2006

    • The London office of Knox Cropper moves to Well Court, Bow Lane.
      • Richard Brian Billinghurst is appointed partner in 2012.
      • Stephen Anderson is appointed partner in 2014.

  • 2017

    • The Haslemere office of Knox Cropper moves to Haslemere House, Lower Street.

  • 2018

    • The London office moves to 65 Leadenhall Street.

  • 2019

    • Knox Cropper celebrates its 150th Anniversary and becomes an LLP.
      • James Stephen Holland-Leader is appointed partner in 2019.
      • John Simon Goodridge is appointed partner in 2021.
      • Shoaib Arshad is appointed partner in 2023.
George Walter Knox, 1842 - 1926
Lionel Cuthbert Cropper, 1864 - 1930
The partners of Knox Cropper in 1994, being awarded the Freedom of the City of London. From the left; Peter Grove, Rod Dulieu, Brian Marshall, Iqbal Hussein, Peter Ford, Kevin Lally, Brian Gandee and a City of London official in ceremonial hat!
The partners of Knox Cropper in 2020. From the left; Neil Wilkinson, Greg Stevenson, Richard Billinghurst, Kevin Lally, Stephen Anderson and James Holland-Leader.