Sir Ronald Cross, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Ronald Cross
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| 17th Governor of Tasmania | |
| In office 22 August 1951 – 4 June 1958 |
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| Monarch | George VI Elizabeth II |
| Premier | Robert Cosgrove |
| Preceded by | Hugh Binney |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Corbett, 2nd Baron Rowallan |
| Member of Parliament for Ormskirk |
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| In office 25 February 1950 – 5 April 1951 |
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| 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 |
Sir Ronald Hibbert Cross (born May 9, 1896 – died June 3, 1968) was an important British politician and diplomat. He is best known for serving as the Governor of Tasmania from 1951 to 1958. A governor is like a representative of the King or Queen in a region.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ronald Cross went to school at Ludgrove Preparatory School. After that, he attended the famous Eton College.
Serving in World War I
During World War I, Ronald Cross joined the military. He served with the Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry. He also became a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps. This was the early version of the Royal Air Force.
Political Career in the UK
Ronald Cross became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1931. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the British Parliament. He was part of the Conservative Party. He represented the area called Rossendale.
Roles in Government
He held several important jobs in the government:
- He was a government whip starting in 1935. A whip makes sure that members of their party vote in a certain way.
- In 1937, he became a Junior Lord of the Treasury.
- From 1937 to 1938, he was the Vice-Chamberlain of the Household.
- He also served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade from 1938 to 1939.
In 1940, he joined the Privy Council. This is a group of senior advisors to the King or Queen.
World War II and Beyond
During the Second World War, Ronald Cross took on more big roles:
- He was the Minister of Economic Warfare from 1939 to 1940. This job involved controlling trade to weaken enemy countries.
- He then became the Minister of Shipping from 1940 to 1941. This role was about managing ships and sea transport during the war.
In 1941, he was appointed British High Commissioner to Australia. A High Commissioner is like an ambassador between Commonwealth countries. At this time, he was also given the title of a Baronet. This is a special honor from the King.
Ronald Cross came back to the United Kingdom in 1945. However, he lost his MP seat in the election that year. He was elected as an MP again in 1950 for the area of Ormskirk.
Governor of Tasmania
Sir Ronald Cross became the Governor of Tasmania on August 23, 1951. He served in this role until June 4, 1958. Tasmania is an island state in Australia.
Honors and Popularity
In 1954, Queen Elizabeth II visited Hobart, Tasmania. During her visit, she honored Sir Ronald Cross. She made him a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO). This is a special award given by the monarch.
He received another honor in 1955. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG). People in Tasmania really liked him. He was seen as a very popular governor.
Family Life
Sir Ronald Cross married Louise Marion Green-Emmott in 1925. They had four daughters. They also had a son, but their son passed away before Sir Ronald did.
