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Note: n a shipping office. He always cherished the hope of being a clergyman, and at last, after a lay-readership in the Liverpool parish and theological training at St Aidans College, Birkenhead, he was ordained in 1872 by the Bishop of Durham. Of this happy event, speaking 30 years after, Mr Doig said; "The day I was ordained I felt there was noone in the world with whom I would have exchanged callings, and now after 30 years in the service of the Church of England I bless God that I was nurtured in it". Hughs first curacy was that of Esh, a mining village, near Durham. He once rushed in between two sturdy colliers, who were fighting for a wager, one of whom declared that he would make daylight through him if he did not mind his own business; but the fight did not come off. The colliers soon got to know and like him, and he used to recall the happy days and nights he spent among them. From Esh he went to St. Georges Church, Bolton, a busy town parish, where he broke down in health through overwork. Thence he sought a less laborious sphere of work in a country parish of Eccelston, where he remained seven years. In 1881 Hugh was the Curate of Eccleston residing at Hyham House, Eccleston in Chorley, Lancashire with his wife Sarah Ann, children Joseph G., Gertrude, Florence, Lilian, Harold S., a servant Louisa M. Blackstone, age 17 from Croston, Lancashire, and a visitor Mary A. Ridzard, age 42 from Leigh, Lancashire. [Note: He is incorrectly recorded in the census as Hugh Day.] In 1883 Bishop Fraser appointed him to the benefice of Saddleworth, where he labored until 1911 when health reasons compelled him resign, to his great regret. On one occasion, speaking after 20 years' connection with Saddleworth, he said that no parish can ever be to me what Saddleworth has been. The time may come when I shall find myself unequal to the task of traversing the hills and valleys of Saddleworth and shepherding the people who live on and in them, but I cannot contemplate parting with my people without a pang". In the 1891 census Hugh was Vicar of Saddleworth reising at the Vicarage with his wife Sarah and children Florence, Ada, Jessie, Ellis, Ernest, and Hugh. Hugh had been in a controversy, the split the parishioners of Saddleworth down the middle. It caused Hugh sufficient distress to seriously affect his health from which he never fully recovered. It started in 1898 when Hugh "applied for a faculty" (i.e. submitted a proposal) to change the layout of the church. At the Vestry meeting of 18th February 1898 twelve voted for the proposal and twenty against. It was re-submitted to another meeting on 18th July 1899 when fifty-two voted for and fifty-four voted against. In 1901 Hugh was a clergyman in Saddleworth with his daughters Florence and Jessie. The book on the "History of the Chapelry and Church of Saddleworth" records that "There was nothing in the application that any reasonable Churchman could take exception to. Nothing was intended which had not been accomplished in scores or hundreds of other parish churches, with advantage and ultimate general approval. Much of the opposition was factitious and unintelligent, most of it genuine. In course of time without precipitation, approval would have been gained". It continues, "But the Vicar, about this time, had the misfortune to make a commendatory reference to Dr. Pusey and the leaders of the Oxford Movement in one of his sermons, from which moment began a general and overwhelming opposition to what was conceived to be a preliminary move in the direction of a Romanised Church". The application for the Faculty was successfully opposed and the situation became worse. "Mistakes, no doubt, were made on both sides. The Vicar attacked and replied to his opponents in the Parish Magazine. The local newspapers of the times testify to the high feeling and general interest in the number of letters, pro and contra, published in the correspondence columns. The affair had a marked effect on the Vicar's health, from which he never made a complete recovery. Through all this trouble, and, as it now seems, useless rancor, he never lost the respect and affection of parishioners." "Had Mr. Doig sought his faculty later it is possible that he would have obtained it. On more than one occasion, his people subsequently proved in substantial fashion their regard and esteem, which after all, is the greatest and most enduring victory to have achieved. Owing to failing health Mr. Doig resigned the living in 1912. " During the last few years of his ministry, Hugh took several long breaks, presumably to help restore his health. In 1906 he sailed to Madeira and Teneriffe. Theyn in 1908 he took Sarah on a long holiday in the Canary Islands, and on their return to Plymouth, he did not rush back to Saddleworth and his work. Instead, they traveled on to spend three weeks in Torquay, sufficient long for Hugh to request his mail to be addressed there. It would appear from Jessie's postcard collection that they spent another three weeks at Torquay. In the summer of 1910, Hugh and Sarah visited their son, Ellis, in Canada. They crossed the Atlantic in the steamship "The Virginian" sailing from Liverpool to Montreal. Ellis had been living in Canada since 1906. To meet him, Hugh and Sarah took a five-day train ride on the Canadian Pacific Railway across the continent to Vancouver. When it came time to return, Ellis escorted them back to Montreal and they visited Toronto and Niagara Falls. The whole journey lasted about 3 months. In the following year, Hugh and Sarah went to Switzerland where according to a postcard they saw an airship crash down into Lake Lucerne. In the 1911 census Hugh lived in Saddlesworth with wife Sarah Ann and children Jessie Mary, Ellis Christopher, Ernest Theodore, and Hugh Norman. In 1912 on his retirement, Hugh moved with the family to Sunny Mount, Parbold where he lived until his death in 1918. He is buried in Eccleston Church. During his retirement his health gradually failed, and at the age of 70, on the last day of the old year, he passed peacefully to his rest and joy, freed now from the trammels of his afflictions. He is mourned by a widow and nine sons and daughters. His mortal life is over, but he lives on in the hearts of those he leaves behind, and in the hearts of all those who remember him as a faithful pastor, a loving friend, and a wise counselor. The Probate of Hugh's will was £2335 5s 0d, of which he left £200 to his wife. The rest had to be invested by his trustees, Joseph & Harry Hobson, and the income given to Sarah during her lifetime. He laid down strict rules what they could invest in - they had to derive an interest of at least 3% and no investment had to made in Ireland. On Sarah's death, the estate was to be spilt amongst his children. The only other specific bequest was that of £600 for the maintenance and accommodation of the sons, Ernest and Hugh, whilst they were graduating at Durham and Oxford Universities. Probate: Rev Hugh Doig of Sunny Mount Parbold Lancashire clerk died 31 December 1918. Probate London 29 January to Sarah Anne Doig widow, Joseph Gardner Doig customs officer & William Henry Hobson surveyor. Effects GBP 2335 5s.
Note: Some of his early years were spent in Pernambuco, Brazil. Returning to Liverpool he worked i
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