Andrew Christopher Williams, CEO of Collabrium Capital Ltd based in London, and his wife Susan Osman donated cultural relics passed down by his grandfather to Shanxi University (SXU) on Oct 22.

Williams' grandfather Noah Williams served as a specialist in mining and metallurgy at Shanxi University between 1906 and 1912, teaching geology and minerals as well as helping design and develop collieries in Shanxi.

The five donated items include a Chinese-English dictionary and a hand-painted map of coal resources in Shanxi in the 20th century used by Noah Williams at Shanxi University, and three coal-related certificates brought from the United Kingdom to Shanxi.

It’s the third time that Mr and Mrs Williams have visited Shanxi University since 2016 when they decided to have items left by his grandfather exhibited at Shanxi University for the next 10 years on behalf of Williams' family.

The couple visited the university's history museum where collections from Williams' family are displayed, and they hope that more people like Noah Williams will come to Shanxi and help develop the province.

Yang Jun, vice-president of Shanxi University, spoke highly of the Williams family's good wishes and deeds for the school and expected that this will further the friendship and cultural communication between China and the United Kingdom.

A donation ceremony of cultural relics by Andrew Christopher Williams and his wife Susan Osman is held at Shanxi University, Oct 22. [Photo/sxu.edu.cn]

Yang Jun (second from right), vice-president of Shanxi University, issues a certificate to Andrew Christopher Williams at the ceremony, Oct 22. [Photo/sxu.edu.cn]