Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
FACTOR, n., v. Sc. usages.
I. n. 1. An agent or steward who manages land or house property for its proprietor; one who has charge of the administration of an estate. Gen.Sc.Sc. 1721 Earls of Cromartie (ed. Fraser 1876) II. 172:
His factory of this estate is over, and Collin factor.Sc. 1753 Records Conv. Burghs (1915) 409:
The fishers suffer still more by the arbitrary and capricious laws which the stewards or factors of gentlemen's estates assume a power of prescribing on all occasions.Ayr. 1786 Burns Twa Dogs 95:
Poor tenant bodies, scant o' cash, How they maun thole a factor's snash.Dmf. 1841 Carlyle Heroes 305:
The Steward, Factor as the Scotch call him, used to send letters and threatenings, Burns says, “which threw us all into tears.”Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick ii.:
Mind ye, the laird'll be there, an' the factor, an' a' the gairdeners an' foresters.Gsw. 1914 F. Niven Justice of the Peace iii. iv.:
The landlord's agent (or factor, as he is usually called in Glasgow).Rxb. 1922 Jedburgh Gazette (22 Aug.):
Many of these far-away dwellings — not often seen by proprietor or factor — are in poor repair.wm.Sc. 1987 Anna Blair Scottish Tales (1990) 126:
Day-dreaming ... but why just day-dreaming? Why not go and tell him all that to his face ... never mind the factor ... go straight to the laird himself ... him snug down yonder at Thirlestane wi' three-foot walls between him and the sough of a cold wind? Gsw. 1990 John and Willy Maley From the Calton to Catalonia 16:
You might be fightin fascists, bit ah'm hivin a runnin battle wae the Factor. Sc. 1998 Glaswegian 9 Apr :
The present law was designed back in time. When a tenement was erected for one rich owner or property company. They, in turn, rented out the flats to middle class tenants. It was a social disgrace to be late in paying the factor's regular bills.
Today, these traditional tenements are a warren of owner occupiers. Old fashioned factors have virtually disappeared. Sc. 2000 Herald 13 Mar 15:
First viewer buzzes. Then second, third, fourth, fifth ... and sixth. Go through prepared speech several times - double sockets there, there, and there; that mirror will be part of sale; chairs negotiable - then forget the answer to the very first question posed: how much are your factor's bills?
Hence (1) factordom, the system of land-administration by factors; (2) factorship, the office of factor. Gen.Sc.(1) Sc. 1888 Sc. Leader (4 Jan.) 20:
He lets some light into factordom that will not be relished.(2) Per. 1897 C. M. Stuart Sandy Scott's Bible Class 48:
He offers us the factorship.Arg. 1914 N. Munro New Road v.:
He played cuckoo wi' poor Macgibbon, and secured the factorship wi' Islay.
2. One appointed by a Court to manage forfeited, sequestered, etc. property (Sc. 1825 Jam.); a judicial factor (see s.v. Judicial).Sc. 1714 Forbes Decisions Index 44:
Writers and other Dependers on the Session, incapable to be named Factors upon Bankrupt and incumbered Estates.Sc. 1752 Scots Mag. (May) 268:
Colin Campbell of Glenure, appointed by the exchequer factor or steward on the forfeited estate of Charles Stewart of Ardsheil.
II. v., tr. and intr. To act as factor or agent for (an estate). Gen.Sc.Abd. 1875 W. Alexander My Ain Folk vii.:
He's factor't a hantle 'imsel' in's time, as weel's a' ither thing.Dmb. 1932 A. J. Cronin Three Loves ii. xiv.:
Henderson and Shaw factored slum property.Sc. 1936 St Andrews Cit. (21 Nov.) 11:
Those who had to do with the factoring of properties were continually being approached by young married people.
