Sir Ronald Cross, 1st Baronet
| The Right Honourable Sir Ronald Cross, 1st Bt KCMG KCVO | |
|---|---|
 Sir Ronald Cross, as United Kingdom High Commissioner to Australia, meeting with RAAF personnel, c. 1944. Cross is second from the right. | |
| 17th Governor of Tasmania | |
|
In office 22 August 1951 – 4 June 1958 | |
| Preceded by | Hugh Binney |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Corbett, 2nd Baron Rowallan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ronald Hibbert Cross 9 May 1896 Pendleton, Lancashire, England |
| Died |
3 June 1968 (aged 72) Westminster, London |
| Nationality |
 British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Louise Marion Green-Emmott |
Sir Ronald Hibbert Cross, 1st Baronet KCMG KCVO PC (9 May 1896 – 3 June 1968) was a British politician and diplomat.
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]
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 World War II, 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 KCVO by Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Hobart during her Coronation Tour in 1954. He was later appointed KCMG. He was a popular Governor, well regarded in the island State.
Cross married Louise Marion Green-Emmott in 1925. They had four daughters and a son who predeceased him.[1]
Mount Ronald Cross in western Tasmania is named after him.
References
- 1 2 3 4 Kent, Hilary (1993). "Cross, Sir Ronald Hibbert (1896–1968)". Australian Dictionary of Biography 13. Canberra: Australian National University. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 35254. p. 4856. 22 August 1941.
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Ronald Cross
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Arthur Law |
Member of Parliament for Rossendale 1931–1945 |
Succeeded by George Henry Walker |
| Preceded by Harold Wilson |
Member of Parliament for Ormskirk 1950–1951 |
Succeeded by Arthur Salter |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Hon. Arthur Hope |
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household 1937–1938 |
Succeeded by Robert Grimston |
| New title New Office |
Minister of Economic Warfare 1939–1940 |
Succeeded by Hugh Dalton |
| Preceded by Robert Hudson |
Minister of Shipping 1940-1941 |
Office Abolished |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by Sir Geoffrey Whiskard |
High Commissioner to Australia 1941–1945 |
Succeeded by Edward Williams |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by Sir Hugh Binney |
Governor of Tasmania 1951–1958 |
Succeeded by The Lord Rowallan |
| Baronetage of the United Kingdom | ||
| New title New Creation |
Baronet (of Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire) 1941–1968 |
Extinct |
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