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The earliest records for members of the Porteous family in Peeblesshire date back to the early part of the fifteenth century.

The earliest possible reference, according to Lord Lyon King of Arms in Edinburgh, is to a Guillaume Porteuse (later William Porteous), who arrived from Normandy c 1400 under the patronship of the wealthy Fraise family (later to become the Frasers). They had already settled in parts of lowland Scotland, having been granted lands by the King.

The early meaning of the name Porteuse (from the French) was indeed possibly of 'courier' or 'messenger'. But in Scotland, they turned their hand to other trades. In the days when the glens and hamlets of Tweeddale and, later, Annandale were much more densely populated than today, they seem to have pursued various occupations - from millers and blacksmiths to ministers of religion.

The home of the Porteous family for many hundreds of years was Hawkshaw in Peeblesshire. There is some doubt as to how long the family had held the ancestral family home, but it is certain that there a castle of sorts at Hawkshaw, probably built as no more than a small fortified keepA keep is a building common to many forms of castle. It is usually a central square tower house. Often the keep is the most defended area of a castle, and as such may form the main habitation area, or contain important stores, or the armoury. An earlier n, and intended as a watch tower where a signal fire could be lit to warn of approaching danger. A line of these so-called Peel towerPeel towers (spelt Pele towers in England) are small fortified keeps, built along the English and Scottish Borders, intended as watch towers where signal fires could be lit to warn of approaching danger. By an Act of Parliament in 1455 each Peel Tower wass was built in the 1430Events May 23 Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiegne The Ottoman Empire captures Thessalonica from the Venetians Year in topics 1430 in art Births Deaths Christine de Pizan, noted author 1430.s across the TweedTweed is a type of fabric using the twill weave. Rivers using the name Tweed. valley from BerwickThe place-name Berwick may refer to: Berwick, Victoria, Australia Berwick, Sussex, England Berwick, Louisiana, United States Berwick, Maine, United States Berwick, Nova Scotia, Canada Berwick, Pennsylvania, United States Berwick-upon-Tweed, England North to its source, as a response to the dangers of invasion from the English borders. Hawkshaw was one of over two dozen of these in Peeblesshire alone.

During the eighteenth century there began a massive migrationEmigration is the action and the phenomenon of leaving one's native country to settle abroad. There are many reasons why people might choose to emigrate. Some for political or economic reasons. Some might have found a spouse while visiting another country of families from Scotland, initially to England and Ireland - and eventually to the New World and the newly discovered countries of the British Empire.

The reasons for this were many - and changed considerably during the following three hundred years. The historical background was turbulent and Scotland saw many changes which led to emigration of large numbers of both Highland and Lowland families.

The Lowland Clearances ( 1760- 1830), especially, resulted in a massive movement of poor Scots from the Lowlands to the growing industrial centres of Glasgow and northern England - to Newcastle, Liverpool and eventually to London and other large cities and ports. Families were tempted by the offer of employment in the fast growing industries which had burgeoned with the coming of the Industrial Revolution and the promise of a higher standard of living.

The subsequent depopulation of the Lowlands and The Scottish Potato Famine of 1836- 37 added to those who chose to leave. And in vast numbers they did, from ports in every part of the British Isles - to seek better fortune on the other side of the Atlantic.