the 19-year-old George Haydock managed a harrowing escape back to England in the company of his brother and fellow student, Thomas. Learning from the mistakes of previous escapees, they were able to sneak out of the town via a canal, carrying a fishing rod so they would appear to be on an innocent fishing trip. They went north, walking much of the way until they reached Ostend, whence they crossed to England. There was an unsettled period while English Catholic bishops made hasty provision for the continuing education in England of the many refugees from Douai. After a stay at St. Edmund's College, Ware, Old Hall Green in Hertfordshire, Haydock was able in 1796 to resume his studies in earnest at a seminary established at Crook Hall, near Consett in County Durham (not to be confused with present-day Crook Hall & Gardens in Durham City). He was ordained a priest there in 1798, and remained as a professor until 1803, when the pastoral phase of his career began. During the period of Penal Laws there was no official Catholic hierarchy in England, so there were no Catholic dioceses or parishes. A Bishop was called a Vicar Apostolic and presided over "missions" in his jurisdiction. Rev. John Lund (1733–1812), pastor to the Haydock family's home mission at Cottam, was skeptical of young George's prospects for pastoral work, once claiming he and his brother Thomas "were chiefly in quest of an easy genteel life." However, the new priest would quickly prove his mettle, dedicating his career to serve in some of the poorest missions in England. His first assignment was at Ugthorpe, Yorkshire, a poor rural mission, referred to as "Purgatory." Despite the legal disabilities of Catholics during this time, the Haydock family had been resourceful enough to retain a measure of local influence and wealth. Although George Leo was the youngest son, he and his older sister Elizabeth appear to have been entrusted with handling the family finances. He demonstrated considerable proficiency in this regard, acquiring investment properties in the areas where he served as pastor as we will see below. He thus had independent sources of income which he often used to subsidize the poor missions he served. The Mission at Ugthorpe Hardly considered a desirable assignment, the small, poor Ugthorpe Mission was nonetheless a challenge enthusiastically met by the young priest. He promptly repaired and improved the existing execrable