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The beginning
State-wide firm Wise and Inglis commenced practice with offices in Hobart and Launceston….
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Mr H J Wise, Vice-President
Mr Henry Joshua Wise held the role of Vice-President with the Tasmanian Institute of Accountants.
It was during his tenure as Vice-President that Mr Wise signed the Certificate of Qualification for a young Mr Charles Edward Hamilton Ferguson of Launceston, recognising he had passed the Intercolonial Examination and admitting him as an associate of the Institute. Twenty years later, Mr Wise and Mr Ferguson would go into Partnership.
In December of the following year Mr H J Wise was elected to the role of President.
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Companies Auditors’ Board issues Licence No 1
The Partnership of Wise Lord & Ferguson was formed. H J Wise was joined by John Lord from the Hobart Savings Bank and C E H Ferguson from Launceston.
On 24 October of this year, the Companies Auditors’ Board granted H J Wise Licence No.1 to act as an Auditor for Companies. The original copy of this document is still held in the WLF office today….
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1920s to 1950s: serving Tasmania’s largest businesses
From the early days Wise Lord & Ferguson had a significant number of large Tasmanian based businesses among its audit clients. These included
Cadburys, 1920s
Australian Newsprint Mills, 1939
Cascade Brewery Co, 1920s
George Adams Estate
Roberts Ltd, 1920s
Nettlefolds, 1920s
Hobart Savings Bank, 1920s
Hobart Gas Co, 1920s
Perpetual Trustees, 1920s
Davies Brothers (The Mercury newspaper), 1950sPhoto: Cascade Brewery 1940, Tasmanian Archive & Heritage Office…
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The 1940s see the firm expand further with a new division
During and after World War II, income tax and probate duty became a preoccupation for many of the firm’s clients. Advertising was undertaken in The Mercury newspaper for more staff, and a new division was established to meet this need – the Business Services Group. Now known as Business and Personal Advisory, this division has continued to grow over the decades and now consists of 6 Partners and more than 35 team members….
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Tasmania’s first female CA
Ms Ilma Lisson joined Wise Lord & Ferguson and was the first female Chartered Accountant in Tasmania. Ms Lisson stayed with the firm until 1962.
In 2017 the Institute of Chartered Accountants featured Ms Lisson in an article in their magazine, profiling her groundbreaking career and her recent admission as a Fellow of Chartered Accountants ANZ.
Photo: Ilma Lisson, courtesy of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand…
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Continued growth in the 1960s with a significant merger
Wise Lord & Ferguson merged with, and acquired, accounting firm Adams and Bennetto. Mr A W Adams had started practice in 1910 and Mr C A Bennetto had started in 1919.
The relationship between the two firms had originated through Mr Ferguson and Mr Adams, both of whom were auditors for the Savings Bank of Tasmania….
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The firm moves from the original sandstone offices
Wise Lord & Ferguson moved from the original offices, in the AMP Building on of Elizabeth and Collins Street, Hobart.
The AMP Building was constructed in 1884 and had a sandstone facade and figurehead typical of Victorian-era architecture. A redevelopment in 1913 featured a striking sandstone arch as the entrance.The building was demolished in 1968 for construction of a modern office tower. The sandstone archway was donated to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens and is still a popular feature today for family and wedding photographs.
Throughout the followed deca…
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A new home for Wise, Lord & Ferguson
Wise Lord & Ferguson moved to 160 Collins Street Hobart, only two blocks from the firm’s original location, in 1994.
This address remains the location of the firm today….