Gerald Stanley Doyle
Gerald Stanley Doyle was born on September 26, 1892, in King’s Cove, Bonavista Bay, to Captain Thomas and Margaret Doyle. At 10 years of age, Gerald moved to St. John's with his family, finished grade 8 at St. Patrick's Hall School and apprenticed as a druggist at Wadden's Drug Store on Water Street.
In 1917, Gerald traveled to the seal hunt on the S.S. Njord where he was listed as the ship's doctor. He also traveled the coast of the province distributing patent medicines, and in 1919, he acquired his first agency, the Dr. Chase Medicine Co. The Company initially operated from a 3rd floor walk-up room on Water Street, but Gerald also toured the Caribbean selling these products. In 1929, Gerald incorporated his business activities under the name of Gerald S. Doyle Limited.
The Company developed its own distribution organization throughout the province for a wide range of food, drugs and household products and also manufactured and bottled cod-liver oil. He used his own boat, the Miss Newfoundland and later the Miss Newfoundland II, to travel the coast and to promote his products. In the 1920's and 1930's, he introduced modern merchandising methods to Newfoundland including point of sale display materials and minimum credit terms. By the mid 1950's, Gerald S. Doyle Limited was distributing products for over 30 manufacturers and was serving 3,000 retailers throughout the province. Gerald also sponsored the Gerald S. Doyle News Bulletin, a radio show provided to the people of Newfoundland through VONF and CBC consisting of a news broadcast, public service announcements, shipping schedules, weather reports and personal messages.
Gerald Stanley Doyle died on July 12, 1956.