Meaning
A government official responsible for collecting excise duties on goods.
Description
Excise officers were employed by the Board of Excise to assess and collect duties on a wide range of goods produced and sold domestically, including ale, spirits, tobacco, salt, soap and paper. They made regular visits to breweries, distilleries, tanneries and other trades to measure production and ensure the correct duty was paid. The work made excise officers unpopular with traders and smugglers and they sometimes faced hostility and violence. The Excise service was one of the largest employers of literate men in the 18th and 19th centuries and offered a degree of job security unusual at the time.
Also Known As
Exciseman, Revenue Officer, Gauger
Commonly Found In
- Census Returns
- Excise Records
- Trade Directories
- Parish Registers
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