Joseph Pyke was a cordwainer (shoemaker) and his wife Elizabeth was a boot binder,[2] and almost immediately came to York.
He successfully defended a claim that he had not properly accounted for his licence fees,[15] himself convening a meeting of ratepayers to justify his position.
[16] In his capacity as pound-keeper, he once unsuccessfully prosecuted a farmer Robert Anderson for taking his horses from the pound, and he was ordered to pay the costs of the legal proceedings.
[21] In July 1877, The Treasurer of the Municipal Council alleged that Joseph Pyke had not properly accounted for money he had received as Collector.
A discrepancy was found which was regarded by the newspaper as trifling, and something which would have been put right on his next round of collection, and it was considered that the Treasurer's “zeal had exceeded his judgment” Unfortunately bitter feelings resulted from this.
[28][d] He described himself in October 1877 as a “bootmaker and leather-cutter” when he advertised that he was moving to "more commodious premises" in Avon Tce "next door to Mr Hoops"[e] (opposite the post office).
[35] In August 1879, Pyke became a Commission Agent, and advertised his intention to hold “WEEKLY SALES at AUCTION”,[36] He was looking for every kind of "Colonial Produce", skins, shingles and timber, horses and vehicles.
He was one of those who called for a public meeting to consider the best means of abolishing the bye-law with reference to driving horses abreast on the roads.
[39] The property to the north of Settlers,[f] was transferred to Pyke in 1883,[40] and then in 1885 he constructed "conveniently sized rooms, which are well suited for offices".
[41] This was to "radically alter the look of the main street" because "Pyke had decided to construct the front of his shop right up against the property line and build a verandah over the public sidewalk".
At the monthly meeting of the Council held on Friday last, Mr Pyke refused to allow himself to be sworn in, as he maintained the Mayor’s election was illegal.
[43] In 1888, Pyke had the privilege of placing a "hermetically sealed" bottle containing a list of parishioners and some silver and copper coins common in the colony under the foundation stone of what is now the Uniting Church, York, Western Australia.
[g][45] In 1892, Pyke started a business running teams and drivers from the "York Exchange" with goods and machinery to the Goldfields.
[46] In 1889, Pyle advertised “gold digger requisites” to those on their way to the goldfields and described himself as "auctioneer, general store keeper, commission agent, boot manufacturer etc etc etc".
In 1901, there was a fire in Pyke's buildings on Avon Tce: Mrs Hunter, the wife of the draper, was preparing a meal and a spark from the stove ignited the window blind.