The business failed a few years later, and he secured a position with St. John's, Newfoundland brokers W. H. Mare & Co., for whom he worked for twelve months, then transferred to Brooking & Co. of the same town, where he acted as second bookkeeper.
Around 1871 his aunt, Mrs. Thomas Colton (née Bond, a sister of Burgoyne's mother), of McLaren Vale, South Australia, mentioned to Dr. A. C. Kelly, founder of Tintara, that her nephew would make a good agent in London.
That meeting led to A. L. Elder, brother of Sir Thomas, suggesting to Burgoyne that he take on the business of importing and bottling Australian wines, which was at the time practically unknown to English consumers.
[4] He thereupon founded his own business, P. B. Burgoyne & Co., with offices and cellars in conjunction with the Tintara company, at 50 Old Broad Street, London EC.
[7] Hughes died in 1887, but by that time Burgoyne was in a sufficiently strong position to drop his European brands and devote his considerable energies to the Australian trade, and any profit the firm made was spent on advertising.
His widow, who had been an active partner in the business, was at the age of 80 appointed chairman of Bond Investment Trust at a salary of £8,000 p.a.,[10] several millions in today's currency.