Then your forebears were fortunate when thousands were not.

......some left of their own accord, knowing they couldn't make a go of it

Exactly why couldn't they make a go of it? Make a go of what? Working someone else's land and forests for meagre living until the landowners wanted it cleared for grazing sheep and cattle? Working in mills and factories and mines just so you could watch your family starve? Getting injured on the job and seeing your entire family put in the workhouse for your thoughtless idleness?

What was there to make a go of?