As a member of Trinity House, he was a keen advocate of the marine trade and commercial business of Hull, and one of the leading shipowners to initiate a dock improvement scheme.

[3][4] During his first term as Mayor he was instrumental in organising the construction of Hull's first purpose built Town Hall (begun in 1862 and opened in 1866, to a design of Cuthbert Brodrick).

[1] In 1860 Pearson gifted 27 acres (11 ha) of the 37 acres (15 ha) of land he had acquired near Beverley Road to the Hull Board of Health, for the establishment of a public park (now named Pearson Park), keeping the remainder of the land for building development; and paid £300 for the construction of an access road.

[6] In this way, he aimed to provide relaxation space and clean air for the workers to breathe, and a desirable residential location for Hull’s businessmen and merchants to remain in the town and continue to contribute towards its success.

[1] For some, this apparent support for the Confederate cause puts Pearson, a Wesleyan, at variance with the abolitionist views held by some of his non-conformist peers.

[1] Coupled with the previous loss of two ships in the Baltic and another to fire in the Thames, London it led to business failure, after which three more vessels were sold at a pittance.

[1] Pearson's considerable assets were sold to pay his creditors, and he dedicated the remaining 27 years of his life to working to repay his debts.