Arthur Harry Cross
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Arthur Harry Cross
| honorific_suffix = A.R.C.O.
| birth_date = 1858
| birth_place = King's Lynn
| death_date = 29 August 1906
| burial_place = Sandringham Churchyard
| education = Choirboy at Jesus College Cambridge
| occupation = Sandringham Organist 1878-1906
| spouse = Alice Serjeant
| children = 6
}}
Arthur Harry Cross was a chorister, organist, choirmaster and composer of sacred and secular music,{{Cite news |date=12 January 1889 |title=Snettisham - An Original Operetta |pages=5 |work=Lynn Advertiser |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0002879/18890112/074/0005?browse=true}}{{Cite news |date=4 January 1890 |title=New Songs |work=South Western Star |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004605/18900104/041/0002}} who was appointed organist and choirmaster at St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham in 1878 at the age of 20. He continued in that position for 28 years until his death of heart disease in 1906.{{Cite news |date=1906 |title=Death of the Sandringham Organist |work=Eastern Daily Press |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001724/19060827/192/0008}}
Early life
File:Arthur H Cross Birth certifcate.png
File:Arthur H Cross Gravestone.jpg
Arthur Cross, whose father was a cook, was a choirboy at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he also studied the piano and organ. Cross travelled around the country as a solo singer. By 17 years old he held a church appointment, and deputised at several college chapels.
He became an Associate of the Royal College of Organists (A.C.R.O) in 1878.
Musical career
File:Sandringham St Mary Magdalene's church - geograph.org.uk - 2280932.jpg
Cross was appointed organist and choirmaster at St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham, by the Prince of Wales in 1878 and subsequently moved to Dersingham, Norfolk.
Cross was also the honorary conductor of the King's Lynn Musical Society,{{Cite news |date=1903 |title=Performance of the "Messiah" |work=Eastern Daily Press |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001724/19030330/258/0006}}{{Cite news |date=8 December 1904 |title=Musical Festival |pages=6 |work=Eastern Daily Press |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001724/19041208/177/0006}} the Hunstanton Amateur Operatic Society{{Cite news |date=1904 |title="Iolanthe" at Cromer |work=Eastern Daily Press |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001724/19040521/165/0006}} and the Hunstanton Choral Society.{{Cite news |date=1903 |title=Hunstanton Choral Society |work=Eastern Daily Press |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001724/19030319/182/0009}}{{Cite news |date=4 October 1906 |title=Hunstanton |pages=6 |work=Eastern Daily Press |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001724/19061004/149/0006}}{{Cite news |date=8 April 1899 |title=Hunstanton |pages=14 |work=Norfolk News |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000247/18990408/218/0014}} He also worked with the Heacham Choral Societies and the King's Lynn Music Society.{{Cite web |last=Fiddick |first=Elizabeth |title=Arthur Harry Cross A.R.C.O. Professor of Music, Cantelupe House Dersingham |url=https://www.dersinghamhistory.info/Arthur_Harry_Cross.html}} He was conductor at the Hunstanton Amateur Dramatic Society's performance of Patience by Gilbert and Sullivan{{Cite news |date=1901 |title=Hunstanton |work=Eastern Daily Press |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001724/19010805/155/0006}} and acted in their performance of the Henry Arthur Jones comedy The Manoeuvres of Jane.{{Cite news |date=4 December 1902 |title=King's Lynn |pages=13 |work=The Stage |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001179/19021204/002/0013}} He was musical director of the King's Lynn and Hunstanton Amateur Operatic Society's{{Cite news |date=21 May 1904 |title="Iolanthe" at Cromer |pages=6 |work=Eastern Daily Press |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001724/19040521/165/0006}} production of Iolanthe in 1904. He conducted and sang the tenor parts in a performance of Messiah for the Kings Lynn Musical Society, in 1903,{{Cite news |date=30 March 1903 |title=Performance of the "Messiah" |pages=6 |work=Eastern Daily Press |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001724/19030330/258/0006}} and sang the tenor part in May Queen A Pastoral at the Guildhall, Cambridge in 1904.{{Cite news |date=18 May 1894 |title=Concert at the Guildhall |pages=8 |work=Cambridge Chronicle and Journal}}
He sang, played the piano, acted and/or composed the music at many local events,{{Cite news |date=14 April 1900 |title=Hunstanton |pages=8 |work=Eastern Daily Press |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001724/19000414/154/0008}} some of which were in aid of charity.{{Cite news |date=24 May 1890 |title=Heacham |pages=6 |work=Norwich Mercury |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001669/18900524/173/0006}}
In 1888 an Anglican Chant book called "The Sandringham Chant Book" was published.{{Cite news |date=19 May 1888 |title=The New Chant Book |pages=3 |work=Norwich Mercury |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/print/bl/0001669/18880519/094/0003}} This was produced by Cross and the Rector of Sandringham, Rev. F. A. J. Harvey, and was designed to be used by village choirs where the Tonic sol-fa system was taught. A number of composers contributed to the chants, including Cross.
Family
In 1910, the first daughter of Arthur and Alice, Dorothy Maud, married the conductor and composer Howard Talbot.
Death and burial
On his death, at the age of 48, Cross's wife received a message of condolence from Queen Alexandra:
"Too grieved to hear of your overwhelming loss and sorrow which will be shared by all who know your dear husband. May God support and comfort you and your poor children." -- Alexandra.
Cross was buried in the churchyard of Sandringham Church, where friends and a number of people known in the musical circles of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire came to pay their respects. King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra were represented at the funeral by Mr. & Mrs. Frank Beck, the King's agent at Sandringham,{{Cite news |date=September 1906 |title=Miscellaneous |pages=9 |work=Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001557/19060901/134/0009}} and in addition to telegraphing messages of sympathy to the family the King and Queen ordered some floral tokens to be placed on the coffin.{{Cite news |date=29 August 1906 |title=The Late Mr. A.H. Cross A.R.C.O. Internement at Sandringham |work=Eastern Evening News}}{{Cite news |date=1906 |title=Death of the King's Organist |work=The Evening Star and Daily Herald |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001708/19060827/051/0003}}
References
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Category:People from Sandringham, Norfolk