The International Settlement Thanks Edward Charles Pearce

What do you give a man who was Chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Council for 7 years (1913-1920), serving throughout the tricky years of World War I. Edward Charles Pearce went to Shanghai in the 1880s as a tea taster rising to become a partner in Messrs Ilbert & Co. He then served on the Municipal Council for which he was give a bunch of honours including being granted the Freedom of Shanghai (which I think was a rare honour) and was awarded the Chinese government’s medal – the 4th Class Order of Chiaho.

And he was awarded this lovely Arts & Crafts gold & silver Casket from “The Ratepayers of the International Settlement of Shanghai to Edward Charles Pearce Esquire 27th March 1918”.