William Winstanley Pearson (1881-1923)

William W Pearson was born in Manchester in 1881. He was a science graduate from Cambridge University. He arrived in Calcutta in 1907 and taught Botany at the London Missionary College in Bhavanipur. After discontinuing his relationship with the Mission, he returned to England in 1911.

Pearson met Rabindranath in London in his own house where a paper about the Poet was read out by Sukumar Ray. In 1914, he came to Santiniketan to join as a teacher. He taught English and took Nature Study classes in the school. He was a dedicated teacher and was endeared by all. He worked for the upliftment of the Santhals for whom he ran a night school. 

He wrote a book, Shantiniketan: the Bolpur School of Rabindranath Tagore where he narrated his experience at the school. In 1916, he accompanied Rabindranath on his trip to Japan and USA as his secretary. In 1920-21, too, he was the Poet's travel companion both in Europe and America. He translated a number of Rabindranath's works into English, including Gora. Pearson died while travelling in Italy in 1923.