Customs and Excise Officers

Find out how to uncover details about ancestors who worked for Customs and Excise within Glasgow, Port Glasgow & Greenock, and Campbeltown.

What do I need to know before I start?

 Try to find out:

  • name of the person

  • approximate time that they were employed 

  • name of the outport or district where they worked

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What records can I find in the Mitchell: Glasgow City Archives?​

Glasgow City Archives hold records about staff (such as officers, clerks, boatmen, tidesmen, warehouse keepers) of the customs outports of Glasgow, Port Glasgow & Greenock, and Campbeltown. 

 

The records include:

  • registers of oaths of office

  • lists of oaths of officers in letter books

  • records of ages & capacities of officers

  • service registers

  • registers of seamen engaged by the outport

     

Details given in the entries of these records vary but can include:

  • name 

  • office (occupation)

  • salary

  • if they are married

  • number of children

  • comments about conduct and character

  • date of resignation  

 

The dates covered for each outport are:

  • Glasgow, 1799-1901

  • Port Glasgow & Greenock, 1727-1765 and 1831-1920

  • Campeltown, 1764-1894 and 1938-1975

     

Records are closed for 75 years under the Data Protection Act (1998), but please contact the archivists for more details.

What records can I see on​line?

The records are not available online.

What records can I see elsew​here?

Other Scottish Customs & Excise Boards' records are held at the National Records of Scotland.

What other resources will help me find inform​ation?