Cottage Capers

On this day in history….22nd February 1889

On this day in history : 22nd February 1889 – The birth of Olave Baden-Powell, first Chief Girl Guide for Britain and wife of Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Scout and Guide Movement….

Olave was born at Stubbing Court, Chesterfield in Derbyshire and she was educated at home by her parents and by governesses…. She was very keen on outdoor sporting activities such as swimming, rowing, canoeing, skating, tennis, riding and football…. She also played the violin….

It was in 1912 that she met Robert Baden-Powell – whilst onboard the Arcadian, sailing to New York via the Caribbean…. She said he was the only interesting person onboard! They shared the same birthday, the 22nd of February, only he was 32 years her senior….

The couple became engaged on the 20th of September 1912 ~ amidst a media sensation…. They married in a small, private ceremony at Olave’s parish church on the 30th of October the same year…. The following October their first child was born; they had three children altogether, their eldest – a son, Peter – followed by two daughters, Heather and Betty…. In 1919 Olave’s sister died leaving three young daughters – Olave took them in and raised them as her own….

Robert and Olave with their three children, 1917 – Public domain

Robert and Olave’s first home was Ewhurst Place, near to Robertsbridge in East Sussex… Here they formed the 1st Ewhurst Scout Troop for the children of their staff…. In 1914 Robert taught Olave to drive, an activity he didn’t much care for himself – so once accomplished she became his chauffeur….

Ewhurst Place – Photo : The Voice of Hassocks – own work – Public domain

The Girl Guide Movement had formed after growing pressure from girls wanting to join their male counterparts in the Scouts…. The Guides were set up by Robert and his sister Agnes – Olave became involved in 1915 – and in March 1916 became County Commissioner for Sussex…. She encouraged women all over Britain to get involved in organising Girl Guide groups – and in 1918 she was unanimously voted as Chief Guide….

It was in 1919 that the Baden-Powells moved to Bentley in Hampshire, where they lived until October 1938…. They travelled extensively and eventually settled in Kenya…. It was here that Robert died in 1941….

Olave continued to lead the Guides after her husband’s death….and she continued to travel…. She had been made World Chief Guide in 1930 and was awarded the Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DGE) by King George V in 1932, in recognition of her voluntary work….

LK1960MMXXDOC1538448 — Lady Baden-Powell visiting Helsinki, 1960 – Public domain

In 1970 Olave was diagnosed with diabetes and advised to stop travelling…. She died on the 25th of June 1977 at Birtley House in Bramley, Surrey…. Her ashes were taken to Kenya to be buried with her husband….

Image credit : Carolandjessie via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….21st February 1952

On this day in history : 21st February 1952 – Winston Churchill’s Conservative Government abolishes identity cards in the United Kingdom ~ ‘Setting the people free’….

Child’s Identity Card

National Identity Cards were introduced by the National Registration Act at the beginning of World War 2…. Every man, woman and child was issued with one and on it was recorded name, age, sex, address, marital status and occupation…. The first cards were brown – with the introduction of blue cards for adults in 1943 and green cards with a photograph were issued to government officials….

Adult’s Identity Card

At the end of the War the Labour Government, under Clement Attlee, opted to keep the identity card – which was not a popular decision amongst much of the population…. Labour argued that the card was important for preventing fraud, for rationing, the health service and benefits such as family allowance….

In their election manifesto the Conservative Party had pledged to scrap the cards…. It was in answer to a question that he had been asked in the Commons that Health Minister Harry Crookshank said… “It is no longer necessary to require the public to possess and produce an identity card, or to notify change of address for National Registration purposes, though the numbers will continue to be used in connection with the National Health Service”… His reply was met with cheers from members in the House of Commons….

From then on other forms of identification were acceptable when required, such as passport, driving licence, trade union membership card etc…. However, the National Registration number was kept and became the National Health Service number….

In 2006 the Labour Government made the Identity Cards Act law…. A voluntary National Identity Card scheme with a National Identity Register database…. It proved to be very controversial and when the Conservatives came to power the Act was repealed in 2010….

Promotional image of a UK National Identity Card released by the Home Office – Public domain

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….20th February 1472

On this day in history : 20th February 1472 – Orkney and Shetland are transferred to Scotland from Norway in lieu of a dowry payment for Margaret of Denmark….

Queen Margaret of Scotland – Public domain

Thirteen-year-old Margaret was the daughter of King Kristian I of Denmark, Norway and Sweden…. She was betrothed to King James III of Scotland as a long standing agreement in an aim to bring a feud over tax to an end…. Her dowry was set at 60,000 Guilders – 10,000 of which to be paid up front, the rest to be mortgaged against Orkney and Shetland…. The idea was that once the dowry had been paid in full the islands would be returned to Scandinavia….

Kristian I of Denmark, Norway and Sweden – Public domain

King Kristian was strapped for cash; he could only raise 2,000 Guilders of the initial payment and so the remainder was added to the mortgage…. The wedding of King James III and Margaret went ahead in July 1469 at Holyrood Abbey and was overseen by Abbot Archibald Crawford…. By 1472 no money had been paid towards the outstanding dowry balance and so on the 20th of February Orkney and Shetland were officially annexed to the Scottish Crown through an Act of Parliament….

James III and Margaret of Denmark – National Library of Scotland – Public domain

Margaret and James went on to have three sons, the eldest later to become James IV of Scotland…. James III was not a popular king, although Margaret was well liked as Queen…. When she died in July 1486 rumours circulated that her husband had poisoned her…. In 1488 a revolt against the King was supported by his 15-year-old son…. James III was killed in unexplained circumstances….

The grave of King James III and Queen Margaret, Cambuskenneth Abbey – Stephen C Dickson – own work – CC BY-SA 4.0

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….19th February 1959

On this day in history : 19th February 1959 – The United Kingdom grants independence to Cyprus, which is then formally proclaimed in August 1960….

Cyprus had been under Ottoman rule for over 300 years before it was annexed by Britain in 1914 – and then in 1925 it became a British colony….

Hoisting the British flag at Nicosia – Illustrated London News – Public domain

Thirty years later Cyprus was anything but a happy place…. Greek Cypriots, wanting unification with Greece, were waging all-out guerrilla warfare against British rule…. It led to the leader of the campaign, Archbishop Makarios, being deported to the Seychelles…. He was to return in 1959 when independence was granted and was subsequently elected President….

British soldier taking aim at Greek Cypriot demonstrators in Nicosia, 1956 – British Colonial Government – Public domain

Independence was proclaimed on the 16th of August 1960 after the Greek and Turkish communities managed to come to an agreement on a constitution…. The Treaty of Guarantee was drawn up, giving Britain, Greece and Turkey the right to intervene if the need should arise…. Britain also retained two military bases on the island….

Old Turkish Cypriot quarter in Paphos, 1969 – Brian Harrington Spier via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0

In 1963 President Makarios proposed constitutional changes – resulting in unrest, violent flare-ups and the withdrawal of the Turkish community from the power sharing deal…. In 1964 the United Nations had to step in by setting up a peace keeping force…. A decade later Greece backed a coup against President Makarios – and he fled…. Turkish troops landed on the north of the island, sending Greek Cypriots fleeing from the northern homes….

Archbishop President Makarios, 1962 – Public domain

After the collapse of the coup one third of Cyprus was occupied by Turkish forces – leaving the island divided…. Approximately 165,000 Greek Cypriots fled to the south, while some 45,000 Turkish Cypriots had set up their own administration under President Rauf Denktash…. The death of Makarios in 1977 saw Spyros Kyprianou take over and peace talks began once more in 1980 – only to be suspended again in 1983….

A map showing the division of Cyprus – United States Central Intelligence Agency – Public domain

British History

On this day in history….19th February 1968

On this day in history. : 19th February 1968 – The High Court awards 62 children compensation after they are born with deformities after their mothers took the drug thalidomide during pregnancy….

The two enantiomers of thalidomide : Left: (S)-(-)- thalidomide : Right: (R)-(+)-thalidomide

Thalidomide can only be described as a dark chapter in the history of pharmaceutical history…. It was developed in the 1950s, by West German pharmaceutical company the Grünenthal Group. It was licensed in the UK by The Distillers Company (Biochemicals) Ltd….

The drug was marketed as a sedative and mild sleeping pill – safe enough even for pregnant women to take…. It became extremely popular with expectant mothers as it was also found to ease morning sickness…. So safe was it deemed that it could be bought over the counter….

Thalidomide became available in the UK in 1958…. It was in 1961 that Australian doctor, William McBride, wrote to the medical publication, The Lancet, with his observations of an increase in deformed babies born to mothers who had used the drug…. It was removed from the UK market in late 1961 after tests concluded that it impaired foetal development….

Congenital malformation of the feet. Effects of maternal drugs – thalidomide. Image credit: Otis Historical Archives via Flickr

Babies born to mothers who had taken Thalidomide were often born with limbs that had failed to develop properly – but sometimes it affected eyes, ears and internal organs…. The severity of cases varied…. It is unknown how many miscarriages may have been caused by it…. Worldwide it could have been anywhere up to 100,000 women who had used the drug to alleviate their morning sickness symptoms – well over 400 victims were born in the UK….

Terry Wiles (right) who was born with phocomelia due to thalidomide. Public domain

After the High Court ruling in 1968 many other claims were settled out of court. In 1973, after pressure from the press and public, Distillers finally agreed to establish a trust fund and make lump sum payouts to all affected children….

Thalidomide resulted in tougher drug testing and approval procedures – but tragically for so many it was too little too late…. Nowadays Thalidomide is sometimes used as a treatment for certain types of cancer. From 2004 it became available on a named patient basis – meaning doctors can prescribe it but under strict controls….