Sir Ronald Hibbert Cross, 1st Baronet, (9 May 1896 – 3 June 1968) was a British politician and diplomat. He served as
Governor of Tasmania
The governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of the Monarch of Australia, currently King Charles III. The incumbent governor is Barbara Baker, who was appointed in June 2021. The official residence of the ...
1951-58.
Early life and education
Cross was educated at Ludgrove Preparatory School and then
Eton College
Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, ...
. He served with the
Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry
The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (DLOY) was a yeomanry unit of the British Army from 1798 to 1992. Originally raised as part-time cavalry for home defence and internal security, the regiment sent mounted infantry to serve in the Second Boer ...
and as a pilot with the
Royal Flying Corps in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
Career
At the
1931 general election, Cross was elected as
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...
(MP) for
Rossendale. He served successively as
government whip
A whip is an official of a political party whose task is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. This means ensuring that members of the party vote according to the party platform, rather than according to their own individual ideology ...
(1935),
Junior Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom there are at least six Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, serving as a commission for the ancient office of Treasurer of the Exchequer. The board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the ...
(1937),
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household (1937–38) and
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade in the United Kingdom was a member of Parliament assigned to assist the Board of Trade and its President with administration and liaison with Parliament. It replaced the Vice-President of the Board ...
(1938–39).
He was sworn into the
Privy Council in 1940.
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, Cross served as
Minister of Economic Warfare (1939–40) and
Minister of Shipping The Minister of Shipping was a British government post created in the First World War and again in the Second World War. In 1941 it was merged into the position of Minister of Transport which was then renamed Minister of War Transport.
Minister of ...
(1940–41). In 1941, he was removed as Minister of Shipping after his performance was criticized by the press.
The same year, he was appointed
British High Commissioner to Australia and created a
Baronet
A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14t ...
, of
Bolton-le-Moors in the
County Palatine of Lancaster
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancashir ...
. Cross returned to the United Kingdom in 1945 but lost his seat at
that year's election.
In
1950
Events January
* January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed.
* January 5 – Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 crashes in a snowstorm. All 19 ...
, Cross was elected in the seat of
Ormskirk
Ormskirk is a market town in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England, north of Liverpool, northwest of St Helens, southeast of Southport and southwest of Preston. Ormskirk is known for its gingerbread.
Geography and administr ...
,
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...
.
He later served as
Governor of Tasmania
The governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of the Monarch of Australia, currently King Charles III. The incumbent governor is Barbara Baker, who was appointed in June 2021. The official residence of the ...
from 23 August 1951 to 4 June 1958. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or ...
(KCVO) by
Queen Elizabeth II when she visited
Hobart during her Coronation Tour in 1954. He was later appointed Knight Commander of the
Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the
1955 New Year Honours.
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.
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cross, Ronald
1896 births
1968 deaths
Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
British Army personnel of World War I
Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry officers
Governors of Tasmania
High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to Australia
Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Ministers in the Churchill wartime government, 1940–1945
Ministry of Economic Warfare
Parliamentary Secretaries to the Board of Trade
People educated at Eton College
Royal Flying Corps officers
UK MPs 1931–1935
UK MPs 1935–1945
UK MPs 1950–1951
Ministers in the Chamberlain wartime government, 1939–1940
Ministers in the Chamberlain peacetime government, 1937–1939
People educated at Ludgrove School