"House factor"

[cms]

In 1891 census my gt grandfather is described as a House factor, in Greenock, Scotland.  What would that indicate?

[oldcrone]

Hi Cazart

If you check this website - http://www.gendocs.demon.co.uk/trades.html - you will find that under 'factor', it gives the following definitions:

FACTOR
[1] An agent employed by merchants to transact business of buying and selling.
[2] A Scottish term for the steward of an estate responsible for collection of land rents.
[3] A person selling goods on commission.

So presumably, if your ancestor was a 'house factor' in Scotland, then no. 2 would apply - ie a rent collector?  Or, if not, then perhaps someone who sold houses - ie an estate agent?

Clara

[w105uk aka Margi :-)]

i seem to remember in some of the many books (victorian era type family dramas i have read..........that a factor was like the rent collector


 

[cms]

I had an idea it was to do with rents, so maybe that is right, thanks both. Caz