Charts relating to Orkney Heads of Family and other families who married into the Cloustons
  • Thomas Clouston (1671-1754) The fourth son of Nicol Clouston, 17th of Netherbigging and Clouston. Nicol is thought to be the direct male line from Harvard Gunnarson. The descendents of Thomas and Marion span the globe, and include The Rev William Couston and his son the Rev Charles, Captain Thomas Clouston (Continental Navy), Rev Thomas Edward Clouston (Moderator for the Presbyterian Church of Australia), Edward Clouston (Agent for the Hudsons Bay Company in Orkney),Sir Thomas Smith Clouston (Superintendant of the Royal Edinburgh Asylum, later the Craig Clinic), Sir Edward Seabourne Clouston (General Manager of the Bank of Montreal), Commander J. Campbell Clouston R.N.(Dunkirk)and Air Cmd. A E Clouston amongst others. The bulk of the Tyneside branch descends from his grandson Joseph (1754-1815).

  • The Smith Connection There is a series of marriages between the Smith Family of Orkney and the descendents of Robert Clouston (1709-82)of Nisthouse. Robert's daughter Margaret married George Smith in 1777. In 1815 Robert Clouston (1786-1857),her nephew, married Janet Smith daughter of George's brother William. These marriages are proven. A lot of circumstancial proof exists for the third marriage. In 1860 Joseph Matthew Clouston (1824-1904) eldest son of Robert's brother George (1788-c.1850), was in urgent need of a wife after the death of his first wife Sarah Reed. Within 9 months he married a Christiana Smith (1830-1908). According to her marriage certificate her father was Edward Smith. Later census returns give her place of birth as Orkney. Janet's brother Edward had a daughter of the same name born about 1830 who disappeared before the 1861 census and did not appear to have married in Orkney.
  • Captain Henry Clouston of New Zealand Captain Henry Clouston had 13 children, including 6 boys. It should come as no surprise that the family has a large contingent in New Zealand.