J. Storer (Joseph Storer) Clouston

Born in Cumberland in 1870 and closely connected to Orkney through his family, Joseph Storer Clouston was educated at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh and Magdalen College, Oxford. He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1895, but chose writing over law.

Clouston built a varied career as a novelist, humorist, and historian. He found early popularity with The Lunatic at Large and went on to write many novels, including thrillers, comic fiction, and short stories. He also wrote A History of Orkney and was active in preserving the islands’ heritage as a founder member and later president of the Orkney Antiquarian Society.

Several of his stories had a life beyond the page. The Spy in Black was adapted into a successful film, and His First Offence became the French film Drôle de drame. He died in Orkney in 1944, leaving behind a body of work that mixed sharp entertainment with a deep interest in Scottish history and place.