Gulval Meadery House.
The Bazeley Mill
George Bazeley came to Penzance (from St Erth) in 1864 to join Samuel Higgs and Sons.
[The Higgs lived in Alverton Lane, and had premises in The Greenmarket; that would have been the building which later became NJ Hall's].
Besides groceries and general provisions Higgs' firm was milling corn.
It would appear that the Gulval Mill was built c1850. New warehouses were built in 1872 on the Wharf at Penzance.
Clearly Samuel Higgs had eased off his position because
in 1871, George Bazeley is noted as a Wholesale Grocer employing 22, he lived in Chapel Street.
George Bazeley inherited the firm in 1874 when Samuel Higgs died. (he was 45 in 1841).
In 1881, he is noted as Miller Cornfactor and Shipowner, living in Penare House.
George Bazeley was joined by his three sons; their warehouses were Albert Stores [datestoned 1872 arch on Wharfside].
They had their own steamships (The Little Western Steamship Company - it was a second to none company in Britain).
The mill employed 18 men; 160hp and 80 hp steam engines and a 40 x 6 feet waterwheel.
The company was sold and the mill closed in 1923.
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They also had an icemaking plant at Gulval;
30 feet overshoot wheel and water turbine (a one mile flume) 3 x 15 hp steam engines;
This all evaporated common sulphuric ether at 12deg F to freeze the water into massive blocks.
Raymond Forward
