escheator
(ɛsˈtʃiːtə(r))
Forms: 5–6 eschetour(e, exchetour, -er, 5–7 escheatour, -etor, exchetor, (5 echetour, eshetour, 7 excheator), 7–8 escheater, (7 eschaetor), eþcheitour, 7– escheator.
[ME. eschetour, a. AF. eschetour, f. eschete: see escheat n.]
An officer appointed yearly by the Lord Treasurer to take notice of the escheats in the county to which he is appointed, and to certify them into the Exchequer. escheator-general: a superintendent or chief of escheators.
The office having practically fallen into disuse, procedure in cases of escheat, is now regulated by the Escheat Procedure Act, 1887.
| [1292 Britton i. ii. §2 En office de nos Eschetours, et en presence de nous devaunt noster Seneschal.] 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xix. cxxviii. (1495) 934 Fiscus is a comyn sacke or a bagge in whiche the Eschetour and rente gaderers put the comyn dette and custome that is payed to kynges. 1463 Mann. & Househ. Exp. (1841) 187 Edward be the grace of God Kyng of Yngland.. to alle sryftes, mayrys, escheatours, etc. 1500 Plumpton Corr. 147 Ralfe Sauchevereth of Hopwell is eschetour of Notinghamshire and Derby. 1593 Norden Spec. Brit. M'sex & Herts. ii. 1 It [Herts.] was annexed to Essex. And one Sheriffe supplied both Counties, and did also one Eschetor. 1667 E. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. i. ii. ix. (1743) 78 The Lord Treasurer hath the nomination of the Escheators in every county. 1755 Carte Hist. Eng. IV. 375 He had got into the service of one Kenny escheator general of the kingdom [of Ireland]. 1827 Hallam Const. Hist. (1876) I. i. 15 The King's title was to be found by the inquest of a jury, summoned at the instance of the escheator. |
Hence esˈcheatorship, the office of escheator.
| 1570 Act. 13 Eliz. c. 4. §13 His Office of Sheriffwick, Escheatorship or Bailiffwick. 1887 19th Cent. XXII. 789 When he applied for the escheatorship, he informed Lord Castlereagh that he intended to have his seat transferred to Mr. Balfour. |