Arthur Harry Cross

A.R.C.O.
Born1858
King's Lynn
Died29 August 1906
Burial placeSandringham Churchyard
EducationChoirboy at Jesus College Cambridge
OccupationSandringham Organist 1878-1906
SpouseAlice Serjeant
Children6

Arthur Harry Cross was a chorister, organist, choirmaster and composer of sacred and secular music,[1][2][3] 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.[4]

Early life

Birth certificate of Arthur H Cross
Gravestone of Arthur H Cross, Organist at Sandringham 1878-1906

Arthur Cross, whose father was a cook,[5] was a choirboy at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he also studied the piano and organ.[5] Cross travelled around the country as a solo singer.[4] By 17 years old he held a church appointment, and deputised at several college chapels.[5]

He became an Associate of the Royal College of Organists (A.C.R.O) in 1878.[5]

Musical career

St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham

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.[5]

Cross was also the honorary conductor of the King's Lynn Musical Society,[6][7] the Hunstanton Amateur Operatic Society[8] and the Hunstanton Choral Society.[9][10][11] He also worked with the Heacham Choral Societies and the King's Lynn Music Society.[5] He was conductor at the Hunstanton Amateur Dramatic Society's performance of Patience by Gilbert and Sullivan[12] and acted in their performance of the Henry Arthur Jones comedy The Manoeuvres of Jane.[13] He was musical director of the King's Lynn and Hunstanton Amateur Operatic Society's[14] 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,[15] and sang the tenor part in May Queen A Pastoral at the Guildhall, Cambridge in 1904.[16]

He sang, played the piano, acted and/or composed the music at many local events,[17][18][1] some of which were in aid of charity.[17]

In 1888 an Anglican Chant book called "The Sandringham Chant Book" was published.[3] 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.[3] A number of composers contributed to the chants, including Cross.[3]

Family

In 1910, the first daughter of Arthur and Alice, Dorothy Maud, married the conductor and composer Howard Talbot.[5]

Death and burial

On his death, at the age of 48, Cross's wife received a message of condolence from Queen Alexandra:[5] "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.[19][20] King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra were represented at the funeral by Mr. & Mrs. Frank Beck, the King's agent at Sandringham,[21] 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.[4][19][20]

References

  1. 1 2 "Snettisham - An Original Operetta". Lynn Advertiser. 12 January 1889. p. 5.
  2. ↑ "New Songs". South Western Star. 4 January 1890.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "The New Chant Book". Norwich Mercury. 19 May 1888. p. 3.
  4. 1 2 3 "Death of the Sandringham Organist". Eastern Daily Press. 1906.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Fiddick, Elizabeth. "Arthur Harry Cross A.R.C.O. Professor of Music, Cantelupe House Dersingham".
  6. ↑ "Performance of the "Messiah"". Eastern Daily Press. 1903.
  7. ↑ "Musical Festival". Eastern Daily Press. 8 December 1904. p. 6.
  8. ↑ ""Iolanthe" at Cromer". Eastern Daily Press. 1904.
  9. ↑ "Hunstanton Choral Society". Eastern Daily Press. 1903.
  10. ↑ "Hunstanton". Eastern Daily Press. 4 October 1906. p. 6.
  11. ↑ "Hunstanton". Norfolk News. 8 April 1899. p. 14.
  12. ↑ "Hunstanton". Eastern Daily Press. 1901.
  13. ↑ "King's Lynn". The Stage. 4 December 1902. p. 13.
  14. ↑ ""Iolanthe" at Cromer". Eastern Daily Press. 21 May 1904. p. 6.
  15. ↑ "Performance of the "Messiah"". Eastern Daily Press. 30 March 1903. p. 6.
  16. ↑ "Concert at the Guildhall". Cambridge Chronicle and Journal. 18 May 1894. p. 8.
  17. 1 2 "Heacham". Norwich Mercury. 24 May 1890. p. 6.
  18. ↑ "Hunstanton". Eastern Daily Press. 14 April 1900. p. 8.
  19. 1 2 "The Late Mr. A.H. Cross A.R.C.O. Internement at Sandringham". Eastern Evening News. 29 August 1906.
  20. 1 2 "Death of the King's Organist". The Evening Star and Daily Herald. 1906.
  21. ↑ "Miscellaneous". Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser. September 1906. p. 9.
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