Designed by Onslow Ford and erected in 1894, six years after his death, the statue is a tribute to a man who, along with the Elders and Napiers, did much to make the Clyde the greatest shipbuilding river the world has ever known.
Born in 1833 in Kent, William Pearce trained in the Royal Dockyards in Chatham as a shipbuilder. In 1863 he came to the Clyde and became general manager at Robert Napier and Son.
He joined the firm of John Elder and Co (later Fairfield) in 1869 and nine years later became the sole proprietor. He realised the need for fast passenger transport between Europe and North America and under his supervision at Fairfield built some of the fastest and most technologically advanced ships of the era, including the 5000-tonne Arizona for the Guion Line. It was the biggest vessel built on the Clyde at that time.
Much to his credit, he continued the paternalistic practices of John Elder and contributed much to the welfare of his workforce and the people of Govan.
In 1885 he became Govan's first Member of Parliament and a year later he rescued the struggling Glasgow News, renaming it the Scottish News. It folded in 1888, the year that Pearce paid for the removal of the Old College's High Street entrance to Glasgow University's new west end location.
It was re-modelled as a lodge and named after Pearce, who died in 1888.
The Pearce Institute was donated as a community centre to Govan by his wife Lady Dinah in 1906.
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The Black Man
Ah sweer ah saw the "Black Man" nod
An'a' at ance ah heard a soond
At Orkney street ah telt ma tale
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TAKE ME BACK TO
THE GOVAN HERITAGE TRAIL INDEX PLEASE.
As ah went stagg'rin'by
Sae up a look't, an thocht it odd
An'curs'd him wi' a sigh.
An'thocht, he's talkin' noo,
An'shoutit back, as ah turn'd roond
"Git stuff'd fur a'm no fu'!
Tae men that canne laugh,
The serjeant widnae gie me bail
Nor the Bailie let me aff.
Take me back
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