Thomas Dearness

Thomas Dearness lived at the Ness for a few years in the early 1900s. He was born in Westray, about 1826 to Thomas Dearness and Margaret Groat. He lived at Taftend, Westray and never married.

By 1901 he was living at the Ness where he was listed as a servant in the census (and in some transcriptions as being age 15 rather than 75). He died at the Ness in 1907 and his gravestone in the Pharay kirkyard has the following inscription:

“Erected by William Wallace in memory of Thomas Dearness who died 22nd April 1907 aged 81 years.”