Pierce
Thomas Ernest Pearce, also known as Old Pearce, was a British businessman and a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. He also served as Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Biography
Pearce was born on 19 February 1883. His father was Reverend Thomas William Pearce, O.B.E., LL.D., who spent nearly half a century in China as a translator and missionary and was closely involved in the development of education in Hong Kong.
In 1903, Pearce joined Hutchison, and in 1917, he acquired a number of shares from William Jardine, becoming Chairman of Hutchison. In 1922, he partnered with Cassel and established a branch in Guangzhou seven years later, which continued operations until 1941. In 1921, Pearce became a Justice of the Peace and in 1929 was appointed a member of the Court of the University of Hong Kong. From March 1939 to November 1941, he served as an unofficial member of the Legislative Council. Between 1940 and 1941, he was Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, during which he worked to improve horse racing activities at Happy Valley Racecourse. He also served as Chairman of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.
Although Pearce was already 58 years old in 1941, above the age for Hong Kong military service, he volunteered to join the "Hughesiliers", a militia unit mainly composed of older men. Later, he served in a unit under the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps during the Battle of Hong Kong, defending against the Japanese invasion and helping guard the North Point Power Station along with other veterans. He was killed in action on 19 December 1941.
Pearce was also an athlete and represented Hong Kong in cricket. One of his sons, Alec Pearce, was a professional cricketer, while another son was J. L. C. Pearce.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Pearce Memorial Challenge Cup (formerly the Pearce Cup)[1] was established in memory of his sacrifice in defense of Hong Kong against the Japanese. The event was first held in 1948. Since the 2018–2019 racing season, the Cup also commemorates John Leith Colmere Pearce, who passed away in January 2017.