THE MISSION OF CANON GIRDLESTONE. 235 



and repaired to the Wesleyan chapel in the village. But 

 the minister of the chapel, a plain-spoken divine, told 

 them they had better go back to their own church. This, 

 however, they would not do, so they remained at home 

 on Sundays. The enmity of the irate agriculturists was 

 extended even to the ladies of Canon Girdlestone's family, 

 who were slighted in every way, and even passed by in 

 the road unnoticed by the local magnates. The pre- 

 ceding facts are curious and instructive. It is almost 

 incredible that so much violent and bitter opposition 

 should have been aroused simply because a brave and 

 conscientious clergyman was earnestly striving to benefit 

 the underpaid, half-starved labourers by whom he was 

 surrounded. But the pockets of the local agriculturists 

 had been touched and their most selfish instincts aroused. 

 Few attempts at reform, however, have ever met with 

 more unwearying and unscrupulous opposition than that 

 which Canon Girdlestone experienced. But he antici- 

 pated resistance, and he was accordingly prepared for it. 

 He carried out his plans, in the face of every obstacle, 

 boldly and perseveringly, and with an exhibtion of singular 

 energy and admirable method. The system of migration 

 commenced in October 1866. From that date until the 

 month of June 1872 the admirable work was continued, 

 and in that period between four and five hundred men, 

 many of them with families, were sent away by the direct 

 instrumentality of Canon Girdlestone to Lancashire, 

 Yorkshire, Durham, Kent, Sussex, and other counties. 

 He sent a number of men to the Manchester and to the 

 West Riding police forces. From their miserable cottages 

 in Devonshire these peasants went to really comfortable 

 homes in the places already named. They left wages of 

 eight shillings a week, and they secured in their new em- 

 ployment earnings which were never less in any case than 

 thirteen shillings a week, and which ranged from that sum 

 to as much as twenty-two shillings a week, in addition to 

 which they had good cottages and gardens rent free. From 

 first to last this work of Canon Girdlestone was eminently 

 successful. But the success which attended his efforts 

 was largely due to the large amount of personal labour 

 which was bestowed upon it. It can easily be understood, 

 for instance, that the negotiations connected with the 

 removal of a single labourer entailed a good deal of work ; 

 and the work was of course multiplied when a family 

 two- thirds of the total number removed from 1866 to 1872 

 were married and had families was sent away. First, 

 the situations had to be obtained, the wages and the condi- 

 tions of the new employment settled, and the travelling 

 expenses forwarded. In each case this work entailed some 

 correspondence. A good deal of trouble, too, was caused 

 by the necessary inquiry into character, especially because 

 in many cases the farmers would not give the men any 



