Moan – a croft in Wasbister high up on the northern hill slopes outside the tunship dyke, was the home of the Clouston family in the mid-1800’s.
David Clouston, born in 1801, was a weaver and farmer by trade. In 1831 he married Janet Alexander, the eldest child of James Alexander and Barbara Marwick of Breckan, who was born on October 11th 1811. They had eight children; firstborn was William; John was born on August 12th 1831; Magnus on May 17th 1833; James on September 8th 1835; Betsy in 1838; Mary; David in 1839; and Ann in 1846.
By 1861 Janet was a widow and she continued working Moan’s six acres, assisted by her 39-year-old unmarried son John. The annual rent at this time was 5s. In 1872 it stood at £1, and the acreage at Moan had risen to 26.5.
In 1880 Janet paid £3.0.0. rent. After she died her son John was head of the household and his sister Betsy and her husband William Borwick lived in new buildings erected at Moan in 1893. Betsy died at Moan on June 30th 1931 at the age of 93 years.
