Peter had moved away from the farm by about 1860. He married Helen Neil, daughter of James Neil and Mary Murphy in September of 1863, two months prior to his father’s death. Like his brother Pierce before him, he opened a tavern. His establishment was on Richmond St., across from where the Confederation Center is now located. Since this was not a lucrative business, he tried his hand as a house roofer as well. Among other roofing jobs, he workedon a Charlottetown house in Octoberof 1866 (at that time the home of Dr. Mackieson), which is still standing at 238 Pownal Street. (Rogers 195)

In all probability, Peter helped to fight the fire of July 1866 which destroyed many of Charlottetown's wood frame buildings. After he had worked fora few years he had accumulated enough money to open a boarding house at, or very near, his tavern loation, 'next door to Fowl and Darrach’s on Richmond St.’ (The Charlottetown Herald, June 20, 1883.) A picture of the row ofbuildings in which the inn and tavern was located is found in the photo section.

Peter was a member of the 8.1.8. from 1870 to 1874. While a member, he attended many meetings and was always vocal. He is on record as having moved and seconded many motions.

He probably had a bit of an Irish temperas well. The minutes of the annual meeting of 1874, record the following; "Before the meeting was adjourned, some dispute arose and Peter Doyle left the hall [saying] to strike off his name and that he would no longer be a member of the Society.’ (B.I.S. Minutes)

In November of 1876 Peter borrowed $1000.00 from another merchant namedJames Currie in the form ofwhat was called a chattel mortgage. Because the documents survived, we know what his possessions were at that time at the dwelling on Richmond St. Some of the items were one stud horse, (black color), one horse (black color), one cow, one wagon, one driving sleigh, two buffalo robes, two sets of driving harness, one set cart harness, six metal dish covers, plus stoves, bedstads, lounges, towel horses, pictures, extension tables and many other items one would expect to find in a boarding house. (Chanel Mortpge # 2386 November 9, 1876.) We don't know why Peter needed the money, perhaps to pay off old bills or to modernize the boarding house.

Peter and Helen had five children baptized between the time they were married andjanuary of 1871. Much more than this we don't know. Peter died April 25, 1878, one day before his forty-second birthday. Members of the 3.1.8. ‘in regalia' attended his funeral on the 27th. He was buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery on Longworth Avenue. The following year his family appeared on an 1879 St. Dunstan's parish census as follows:

Mrs. Peter Doyle [Helen] 27, Boarding house, Richmond St.; James P., 14, St. Patrick’s; Margaret, 12, St. Joseph’s, Catherine, 9, St. Joseph’s; Theresa Kehoe, 23.

An interesting note: if Helen Doyle's age is correct on this census, then she married when she was eleven!

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