Person:Henry Clouston (1)

Henry or Harry Clouston was baptised on 22nd December 1782 at Stenness in Orkney, son of Isabella Knarston and her husband Edward Clouston. The family lived at Biggings, a farm in the south-western part of Stenness parish known as Ireland.

On 9th March 1811, aged 28, Harry was married at Kirkwall to Ann Flett. They returned to Stenness after their marriage, having four children baptised there between 1812 and 1819.

Harry died at the age of 39, being buried at Stenness on 12th February 1822. His burial again notes that he had lived in the Ireland area of Stenness. Both Harry’s parents survived him. Ann outlived him by nearly forty years, but never remarried. When she died in 1861 her death certificate described Harry as having been a ship carpenter.

1. ↑ Scotland. Old Parish Registers, Births & Baptisms. (Edinburgh, Scotland: ScotlandsPeople (National Records of Scotland))
   017/10 118 Firth & Stenness.

   [1782] Dec[embe]r 22 / Edward Clouston in Biggings in Ireland had a Child by his wife Isabella Knarston Called Hary

   This would appear to be the most likely baptism, being in the parish in which Harry lived as an adult, and his mother’s maiden name would explain the middle name Harry gave one of his own children.

2. ↑ Scotland. Old Parish Registers, Deaths & Burials. (Edinburgh, Scotland: ScotlandsPeople (National Records of Scotland))
   017/20 193 Firth & Steness.

   1822 / Deaths in Stenness / Febr[uary] 12th / [No.] 5 Hary Clouston / Irland

   This burial is considered most likely, being of a resident of the Ireland area of Stenness, which is also where the Harry baptised in 1782 lived. There was another Harry Clouston from “Garmiston” (presumably meaning Germiston) buried at Stenness on 22nd February 1839, but he was said to be 67 years old. There was another couple called Henry Clouston and Margaret Flett who had married in 1793 and had been having children at Stenness, and the age would make it more likely to be that Henry / Harry.