[f. LEAVE sb. (? in the sense of ‘licence’) + LOOKER.] A municipal officer in several boroughs of Lancashire, Cheshire, and North Wales, having certain duties of inspection.
1552. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 59. Leavelookers John Walker Robt Mercer.
1592. in J. Hall, Hist. Nantwich (1883), 73. The leaue lookers or one of them shall euery kinding [heating of the salt-pans] goe about wth the stryke and measure their owne and euery Occupiers salt.
1599. List Mayors of Chester, in Digby Myst. (1882), App. to Forewords 26. This Mayor … restrayned the leaielookers [another version (p. 24) has leaulokers], for sending wine, on the feastifull dayes.
1656. D. King, Vale Royal, Chester, II. 157. The Leave lookers, who then were the Head and chief of the Citizens before a Maior was ordained, and still is reputed the head or chief of the fourty, or the Common-Councell of the City.
1685. in D. Sinclair, Hist. Wigan (1882), II. 177. Your petr was fined in Ten shillings for the neglect of his your petr office of a Gatewaiter or Leave-looker.
1795. J. Aikin, Manchester, 392. Forty common councilmen two of whom are leave-lookers, whose office it is to inform of all persons exercising trades within the city [Chester] without being freemen.
1835. Munic. Corp. Comm. Rept., App. IV. 2621. [Chester] The Leave lookers are … appointed annually by the mayor. Ibid., 2663. [Denbigh] The Leave Lookers are appointed by the common council. Their office … is quite gratuitous. Ibid., 2709. [Liverpool] The Leave Looker has 104l. a year. Ibid., 2850. [Ruthin] The Leave Lookers are appointed by the borough jury at the leet for a year.
1883. J. Hall, Hist. Nantwich, 68. [Town-officers formerly] Leave-lookers; or Market Inspectors.
Hence † Leave-lookerage (see quot.).
1778. Pennant, Tour in Wales, I. 168. Here [sc. at Chester] are … two annual officers, called leave-lookers…. They were accustomed … to take small sums, called leave-lookerage, for leave for non-freemen to sell wares by retail.
