FYI May 08, 2020

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On This Day

589 – Reccared I opens the Third Council of Toledo, marking the entry of Visigothic Spain into the Catholic Church.[2]
The Third Council of Toledo (589) marks the entry of Visigothic Spain into the Catholic Church, and known for codifying the filioque clause into Western Christianity.[1][2] The council also enacted restrictions on Jews, and the conversion of the country to Catholic Christianity led to repeated conflict with the Jews.[3]

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Born On This Day

1903 – Mary Stewart, Baroness Stewart of Alvechurch, British politician and educator (d. 1984)
Mary Elizabeth Henderson Stewart, Baroness Stewart of Alvechurch, JP (née Birkinshaw: 8 May 1903 – 28 December 1984) was a British politician and educator. She was a Baroness in her own right and the wife of Labour Foreign Secretary, Michael Stewart.

Early life and education
The daughter of commercial traveller Herbert Birkinshaw and Isabella née Garbutt, Mary was born in Bradford. The family moved when she was four and she was educated at King Edward VI High School for Girls (KEHS) Birmingham, and Bedford College, University of London, graduating with a BA in philosophy in 1928. She taught psychology and sociology to Workers’ Educational Association students.[1]

Career
During World War II, Stewart served with the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) at locations around the country. After the war she took an interest in education and psychology and Barbara Wooton encouraged her to become a magistrate in the juvenile courts. She worked for the Workers’ Educational Association, as a tutor until 1964. She became a member of the Fabian Society Executive, serving as Chairman in 1963–64. She wrote papers on the Fabian’s behalf arguing that juveniles should be dealt with more leniently. In 1964 she published a short paper titled “Unpaid Public Service” which looked at the role of volunteers on committees. She argued that expenses should be paid and that these committees should meet in the evenings.[1]

She was also involved in local hospitals, schools and she became the chair the East London Juvenile Court magistrates.[1]

House of Lords
Stewart was created a life peer as Baroness Stewart of Alvechurch, of Fulham in Greater London on 15 January 1975.[2] She was introduced to the House of Lords on 28 January 1975.[3] She made her maiden speech on 26 March 1975 during a debate on direct grant grammar school.[4]

Personal life
She married an advertising clerk named Robert Godfrey Goodyear in 1931, but they were divorced in 1941. She then married Michael Stewart two months later on 26 July 1941.[1] She and her second husband, were one of the few couples who both held titles in their own right.

Stewart died on the 28 December 1984.[5]

 
 

FYI

The Rural Blog: Facebook names 20 people, including journalists, to a ‘Supreme Court’ as ultimate arbiters for allowed content and more ->
 
 
 
 

By Igor Bonifacic, Engadget: Facebook’s redesigned website finally starts rolling out to everyone The new interface is now the default for all Facebook users.
 
 
 
 

Ernie at Tedium: The Internet’s Many Branches
 
 
 
 
By Ted Mills, Open Culture: Robert Fripp Releases Free Ambient Music to Get You Through the Lockdown: Enjoy “Music for Quiet Moments”
 
 
 
 

49 Writers Blog: Writing the Distance: Vivian Faith Prescott
 
 
49 Writers Blog: Writing the Distance: Kathy Trump
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 

Ideas

By Caylin Harris, Food Network: 8 Clever Ideas for Hosting a Virtual Mother’s Day Party Add a little festivity to your Zoom hang with Mom.
 
 
Tara Dodrill, New Life On A Homestead: 14 DIY Natural Air Freshener Recipes
 
 

Recipes

By Laurie Dixon, Taste of Home: 33 of Our Cheesiest Slow-Cooker Recipes
 
 

Food Network: The Best Cookies and Bars