Alfred Cross

• Date of Birth        1830 at Bristol, Avon
• Married                28 July 1855 to Mary Ann Grubb at the Church of Saint Paul, Deptford, Kent
• Date of Death      4 December 1882
• Burial                  9 December 1882

Arthur Cross was a member of an architectural family, the son of William Cross, surveyor, of Bristol; the brother of William Stephens Cross (1822 or 3-1897); the father of A W S Cross (1852-19529 (qv) and the grandfather of Kenneth Mervyn Baskerville Cross (8 December 1890-16 January 1968), President of the RIBA 1956-1958.

Alfred Cross was born in Bristol, the son of William Cross, surveyor, and his wife Sarah. He was educated at the Royal Naval School at Greenwich, and was afterwards articled to his uncle, a solicitor, in Bristol. However, he had no love for the law, resulting in a move to London, where he entered the office of John Shaw, one of the leading architects of the day. Afterwards, he transferred to the office of Philip Hardwick, R.A.  A gifted draughtsman, it was said that he commenced independent practice when twenty-two years of age, the Ship Hotel, Greenwich being considered his earliest work. He married in 1855 but a few years later, he left London for Hastings as a result of his wife’s ill-health.  He subsequently maintained offices at both Hastings and London until his death. For some time he was connected with the Duke of Bedford’s estate in London. In Lewisham and the neighbourhood, he built several houses, including his own at Loampit Lane.

in 1872 he joined with Arthur Wells in partnership at Hastings under the style of Cross and Wells and in 1873 the partnership was awarded second premium for Hastings aquarium and baths. In association with another Hastings practice, Jeffery and Skiller, Cross and Wells were awarded the first premium in the public competition for plans for the new town-hall(1874), which it was at one time proposed to erect in Hastings. Cross and Wells were also the designers of the Albert Temperance Hotel; and, the new Gaiety Theatre. There are several building estates in the neighbourhood which they have laid out, and they have also been architects for several private and business houses.

Arthur married Mary Ann Grubb on 28 July 1855 at Saint Paul’s church, Deptford, Kent and had six children - Isabel Mary Cross (1857-); Alfred William Stephens Cross (1858-1932) Lady Edith Harriet Cross (1860-1954) Frances Ada Cross (1865-); Arthur George Cross 1866-); and Walter Ernest Cross (1870-)

Alfred Cross died on 4 December 1882 at his residence, Kilmarth Cornwallis Gardens Hastings

Address:
1881              70 Chancery Lane, London WC

Residence
1841               Stable Lane, Bristol
1861               Loampit Hill, Lewisham
1871               Hastings
1881               Kilmarth, Holmesdale Gardens, Hastings (census)
1881-1882      Kilmarth, Cornwallis Gardens, Hastings (probate)

Obituary          Builder vol43 30 December 1882 page 837-838
Reference        Roger H Harper: Victorian Architectural Competitions 1843-1900
Reference        Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. 2001