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.
Sir Ronald Cross | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 17th Governor of Tasmania | |
| In office 22 August 1951 – 4 June 1958 | |
| Monarchs | George VI Elizabeth II |
| Premier | Robert Cosgrove |
| Preceded by | Hugh Binney |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Corbett, 2nd Baron Rowallan |
| Member of Parliament for Ormskirk | |
| In office 25 February 1950 – 5 April 1951 | |
| Preceded by | Harold Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Salter |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 May 1896 Pendleton, Lancashire, England |
| Died | 3 June 1968 (aged 72) Westminster, London, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Louise Marion Green-Emmott |
Early life and education
editCross 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
editAt 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
edit- ^ a b c d Kent, Hilary (1993). "Cross, Sir Ronald Hibbert (1896–1968)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 13. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
- ^ "No. 35254". The London Gazette. 22 August 1941. p. 4856.
- ^ "No. 40159". The London Gazette. 27 April 1954. p. 2500.
- ^ "No. 40366". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1955. p. 4.