Tributes paid following death of Stirling's first MSP, Sylvia Jackson, aged 76

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Tributes have been paid to Stirling’s first ever MSP, Sylvia Jackson, described as “one of the nicest and most generous politicians ever to serve in the Scottish Parliament”.Sylvia died last week, aged 76, in Winchester Hospice.Her family said she had been having treatment for cancer since last year, and died peacefully and quickly after her treatment ceased to be effective.Sylvia was born in Willingham in Lincolnshire, the only daughter of Herbert Woodforth and Lucy Franklin.

She was educated at Brigg High School for Girls, and went on to the University of Hull, where she earned a degree in Chemistry and a Master’s Degree in Education.While at Hull, she met Michael Jackson, whom she married in 1970.Michael’s distinguished academic career took them to Lancaster, where Sylvia was awarded a Ph.D.

for her research into education, and then to Stirling, where Michael became the university’s Senior Deputy Principal and a professor specialising in industrial relations.Sylvia taught chemistry in Cumbernauld and Alva before beginning a career in teacher training at Moray House in Edinburgh and as a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh.

In this period she wrote and co-wrote a series of popular chemistry textbooks for schools.Click here for more news and sport from the Stirling area.Michael and Sylvia were both involved in Labour Party politics in Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, and in 1999, Sylvia was elected Labour MSP for Stirling.