Francis W. Pixley

Who was Francis W. Pixley?

Francis William Pixley FSA FCA was an English accountant, barrister and author. He performed many civic roles including Deputy Lieutenant for Buckinghamshire.

The son of Mr. T. W. Pixley, of Freshwater, Isle of Wight, he was educated at St. Peter's School, York, was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple, and became a senior partner in the firm of Messrs. Jackson, Pixley and Co., chartered accountant. In 1905, he held the office of president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, of which he was an original member, having been elected on its formation, and he represented it at St. Louis, U.S.A., at the first International Congress of Accountants in 1904. He was auditor to the Duchy of Lancaster, and treasurer of the Chartered Accountants Benevolent Association, editor of The Accountants' Dictionary, and the author of a number of books on accountancy.

Outside his profession Pixley had many interests. He was mainly instrumental in the efforts made to form a Roll of Baronets, which is now kept at the Home Office, and was Registrar of the Standing Council of the Baronetage and the author of a history of the baronetage. He was at one time lieutenant-colonel commanding the 1st Cadet Battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, and later identified himself with the Boy Scout movement at headquarters and in South Buckinghamshire. He was a Knight of Justice and Receiver-General of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England, a member of the City Lieutenancy, and Deputy Lieutenant and J.P. for Buckinghamshire. He was late chairman of the National Institution of Apprenticeship, a member of the London Diocesan Fund, a member of Council and joint treasurer of the Queen's Institute of District Nursing and treasurer of Queen Mary's Committee, treasurer of the Buckinghamshire War Pensions Committee, of the country Lace Association, and of the country branch of the National Playing Fields Association, and late treasurer of the county Architectural and Archaeological Society, and Past Master of seven Masonic Lodges.