, 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁ 7 2 9 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁and ▁ 4 8 8 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁The ▁Non con form ists ▁had ▁built ▁a ▁strong ▁base ▁In ▁industrial ▁districts ▁that ▁special ized ▁in ▁min ing ▁text iles ▁agricult ure ▁and ▁fish ing ; ▁those ▁were ▁decl ining ▁indust ries , ▁who ▁share ▁of ▁the ▁total ▁male ▁work force ▁Was ▁in ▁steady ▁decl ine , ▁from ▁ 2 1 ▁percent ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁to ▁ 1 3 ▁percent ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁As ▁the ▁families ▁migr ated ▁to ▁southern ▁England , ▁or ▁to ▁the ▁sub ur bs , ▁they ▁often ▁lost ▁contact ▁with ▁their ▁child hood ▁religion . ▁The ▁political ▁rever ber ations ▁were ▁most ▁serious ▁for ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party , ▁which ▁was ▁largely ▁based ▁in ▁the ▁non con form ist ▁community , ▁and ▁which ▁rapidly ▁lost ▁membership ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁as ▁its ▁leadership ▁quar re led , ▁the ▁Irish ▁C athol ics ▁and ▁many ▁from ▁the ▁working - class ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party , ▁and ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁middle ▁class ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁party . ▁ ▁Hop ing ▁to ▁stem ▁the ▁membership ▁decl ine , ▁the ▁three ▁major ▁Method ist ▁groups ▁merged ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁In ▁Scotland ▁the ▁two ▁major ▁Pres by ter ian ▁groups , ▁the ▁ ▁Church ▁of