The Right Honourable Sir
Ronald Cross
Bt KCMG KCVO
17th Governor of Tasmania
In office
22 August 1951 – 4 June 1958
MonarchsGeorge VI
Elizabeth II
PremierRobert Cosgrove
Preceded byHugh Binney
Succeeded byThomas Corbett, 2nd Baron Rowallan
Member of Parliament
for Ormskirk
In office
25 February 1950 – 5 April 1951
Preceded byHarold Wilson
Succeeded byArthur Salter
Personal details
Born(1896-05-09)9 May 1896
Pendleton, Lancashire, England
Died3 June 1968(1968-06-03) (aged 72)
Westminster, London, England
Political partyConservative
SpouseLouise Marion Green-Emmott

Sir Ronald Hibbert Cross, 1st Baronet, KCMG, KCVO, PC (9 May 1896 – 3 June 1968) was a British politician and diplomat. He served as Governor of Tasmania 1951-58.

Early life and education

Cross was educated at Ludgrove Preparatory School and then Eton College. He served with the Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry and as a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps in World War I.[1]

Career

At the 1931 general election, Cross was elected as Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Rossendale. He served successively as government whip (1935), Junior Lord of the Treasury (1937), Vice-Chamberlain of the Household (1937–38) and Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (1938–39).[1] He was sworn into the Privy Council in 1940.

During the Second World War, Cross served as Minister of Economic Warfare (1939–40) and Minister of Shipping (1940–41). In 1941, he was removed as Minister of Shipping after his performance was criticized by the press.[1] The same year, he was appointed British High Commissioner to Australia and created a Baronet, of Bolton-le-Moors in the County Palatine of Lancaster.[2] Cross returned to the United Kingdom in 1945 but lost his seat at that year's election.

In 1950, Cross was elected in the seat of Ormskirk, Lancashire. He later served as Governor of Tasmania from 23 August 1951 to 4 June 1958. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) by Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Hobart during her Coronation Tour in 1954.[3] He was later appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 1955 New Year Honours.[4] He was a popular governor, well regarded in the island State.[citation needed]

Cross married Louise Marion Green-Emmott in 1925. They had four daughters and a son who predeceased him.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Kent, Hilary (1993). "Cross, Sir Ronald Hibbert (1896–1968)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 13. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  2. ^ "No. 35254". The London Gazette. 22 August 1941. p. 4856.
  3. ^ "No. 40159". The London Gazette. 27 April 1954. p. 2500.
  4. ^ "No. 40366". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1955. p. 4.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byArthur Law Member of Parliament for Rossendale 1931–1945 Succeeded byGeorge Walker Preceded byHarold Wilson Member of Parliament for Ormskirk 1950–1951 Succeeded byArthur Salter Political offices Preceded byArthur Hope Vice-Chamberlain of the Household 1937–1938 Succeeded byRobert Grimston New titleNew office Minister of Economic Warfare 1939–1940 Succeeded byHugh Dalton Preceded byRobert Hudson Minister of Shipping 1940–1941 Office abolished Diplomatic posts Preceded bySir Geoffrey Whiskard High Commissioner to Australia 1941–1945 Succeeded bySir Edward Williams Government offices Preceded bySir Hugh Binney Governor of Tasmania 1951–1958 Succeeded byThe Lord Rowallan Baronetage of the United Kingdom New title Baronet(of Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire) 1941–1968 Extinct
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