History

The Crown office of Receiver can be traced back to the early thirteen hundreds. From the middle of the century the office was responsible for submitting to the English Exchequer, sometimes via the Warden, accounts of the King's rents and other income (other than when they may have been enjoyed by a Lord of the Islands) and expenditure on things such as salaries, defence and charity.

The Receiver General, as the officer is now known, is appointed by royal warrant, holding office during good behaviour, and under such direction as may be necessary from the Lord Chancellor. The activity required of the Receiver General was diminished in the twentieth century by the assignment of Crown revenues to the States in consideration of the transfer of responsibility for the costs of the Crown establishment to them in the 1940's, as stated above, and the abandonment of the uneconomic collection of minor manorial dues with effect from 1980, and later treizième too, under The Feudal Dues (General Abolition of Congé) (Guernsey) Law, 2002. Since 1985 the position of His Majesty's Receiver General has been occupied by successive holders of the post of HM Procureur.

Significant responsibilities include dealing with escheated and bona vacantia properties, foreshores and other manorial possessions (usually managed, by arrangement, by States Committees), negotiation for the sale or letting of Crown lands (and participation as a lessor in respect of leaseholds, such as that of Jethou, as described in the last chapter), and directing the preparation of annual accounts in respect of Crown revenues for approval by the Lieutenant-Governor.