Bert Cross 1934-2008
BIGGA has lost one of its most longstanding and best known members. Bert Cross died suddenly in hospital in early April leaving a void which will be difficult to fill in his native Liverpool and north west as well as the Association as a whole.
North West Section Secretary for 30 years, Bert has also served as Northern Regional Chairman and was on the National Board of Management until as recently as last year. But his influence on the Association stretched much further than that. He was a key figure in the organisation of the Mere, later to become the North West, Seminar, while those members who have worked on the BIGGA Open Support Team and played in the National Championship will be more than familiar with Bert’s contribution, in the Cabin at The Open, and on the 1st tee as Starter at the National Championship.
There can scarcely have been a BIGGA event of any consequence at which Bert was not a key figure, often doing the essential behind the scenes roles which are often difficult to fill. For example he would often talk of the mixture of frustration and humour involved in collecting the Irish representatives of the Hayter Challenge from the ferry and getting them to and from the hotel. According to his wife, Marie, his association and work with BIGGA was something of which he was immensely proud.
Bert was born in Liverpool in 1934 and joined the Liverpool City Council Parks and Gardens’ Department at the age of 15. Aged 18 he joined the Kings Regiment as part of his National Service and served in Korea where, by coincidence, he first met BIGGA Past Chairman, Gordon Child. He returned to the Park and Gardens Department two years later and worked in the greenhouses where he specialised in growing Orchids and Biomeliads which he showed, and won awards with, across the country including Chelsea Flower Show.
Always a keen and able golfer he applied for and got the job of Head Greenkeeper at Allerton Golf Club in 1978 and he worked there for seven years before being promoted to Courses Manager of Liverpool City Council’s three municipal courses – Allerton, Kirkby and Bowring Park. He carried out that role until 1990 when he was again promoted, this time to Contracts Manager for the Council, a job he did until he took early retirement at the age of 59 three years later.
Not one for a pipe and slippers retirement, Bert and Marie throw themselves into another project – making at least 10 trips, each between a fortnight and a month, to Zambia to work at the Kasisi Orphanage, taking with them clothes and medical supplies.
Bert and Marie were adored by the 270 orphans, all with either AIDS or HIV, and Marie is going to complete the next scheduled trip, in June, where she will spread some of Bert’s ashes at the orphanage.
Bert is survived by Marie, and sons, Peter, Head Greenkeeper at Blundells Hill GC, and Anthony, daughter-in-law, Yumi, and grandson, Koji.
Donations can be made to the Kasisi Orphanage.
