The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-05-19
WHAT PLUCK CAN DO.
From London Sums Pearce Rose Tc
Be Prince Of London Caterers

can boy who has his own way TO
make in the world in the career OF
John Pearce. the prince of London's
cheap caterers, whose 1900 employ
ees recently presented him with a
handsome testimonial. They did
this just 10 show that they regarded
their boss as their friend, and it was
an appropriate tribute to man who
in his rise from poverty to affluence
has always commanded the esteem
of those who have worked ior him.
Tall and lanky, stoop-shouldered,
with features rather sad in express
sion and singularly wistful-looklng
eyes. there is nothing about John
Pearce that suggests the typical SELF
made captain of industry. He would
never be picked out of crowd as
strikingly successful man or a par
ticularly brilliant one in any aspect.
He has been sized up wrong oftener
probably than any other man in
London.
He was born fifty-eight years ago,
in one OF the slums of Hoxton-
When he was little shaver his faith
er died, leaving his mother to carry
on the struggle alone, with family
of hungry children on her hands.
One room was all she could afford,
but there she reared her brood, and
besides contriving to feed and clothe
them all, she put right notions into
their he: so that ultimately they
all turned out we'll. What a tough
time they had of it may be inferred
from the fact that at the age OF 9
Johnnie" had to start working for a
living. He hired himself out to
picture frame maker for half a crown
Cor 62 cents) a%W&eek At the age Of
IS he was working for a builder at
the princely wage Of Is cents week,
with breakfast thown in. 1t was GUS
tomary in those days to pay off the
hands in saloons-a perEicious prac-
tice to which the law long ago put a
stop. On one of these occasions
young Pearce got drunk for the first
and only time in his life 1t was Il
case of good coming out OF evil. He
lost his job. but ne swore e and
temperance was great gamer there
by. II the four score and one res
taurants under his control, scattered
through London. not a drop OF intox-
icating liquor is allowed to be sola
After learning the lesson OF sobri-
ETY. at the cost Of his situation. he OBJ
tanned a situation at a pastry cooks,
little dreaming to what good account
he would be able to turn the expert
ence in later years But the hours
were long and the wages small, and
after two years of it he threw up the
job to seek a better paying position.
He was long time finding it. For a
considerable period odd jobs were his
only resource, and the man who has
since fed millions often went hungry
But he seemed to get good out of
every experience that came his way,
and it was during this time Of stress
and privation that he got religion. It
was Of a good practical sort too, that
values works above faith. Soon after
wards he struck job as porter at
Covent Garden market. the pay being
S. a week 1t was one Of the fruits
of his religion that of that sum,
small though il was, he regularly de-
voted one-tenth to charity The Civ
ing away OF tithe of his income,
whatever it might be. he has always
since regarded as a sacred obligation.
In his long tramps to and from
work, Pearce observed how great was
the need among casual and other lab
orers OF good and cheap food. 1t
suggested an opportunity for him to
become his own master He hired
a costermonger's barrow at IS cents
week. bought humble urn and a
few crooks, and set ont to earn his
fortune as a cheap and peranbulatins
caterer in the city road. He did NOT