I knew he had been ill, but missed news of his passing. I am now the ripe age of 48 - and my sister Rachel is 52 this year - and first encountered Mr Cross as a second year student in 1986 at Stockport Grammar School, but suffice to say I am still regaling anyone who will listen (including my 11 year old daughter) with anecdotes of the History Department at SGS and Mr Cross in particular. Brilliant, eccentric, gifted, incredibly artistic, wry humour, and utterly terrifying. I really wish we still had characters, and departments, like him/that in schools today, but fear my daughter will never experience it. So sad to hear of him passing - I trust that grave he was digging in Ipswich since the 1980s as finally received its honoured incumbent.