Redruth brewery Penzance

[Halfhidden]

I was talking with CHILLYWILLY last evening about the Redruth brewery depot that was situated in Queens Street Penzance. My understanding was that the Redruth brewery depot was redeveloped and the Ritz cinema (the Ritz Bingo hall as it became known) was built on the grounds. I'm not exactly sure what year this redevelopment took place. From our conversation came a fascinating piece of information and I'm now intent on investigating this to discover if it is true or just an urban myth.

CHILLYWILLY says that he's heard of people mentioning that the White Lion car park was a cellar. It was covered over and later became what it is today... a car park. He said that it is rumoured that the cellar still contains barrels and bottles and had several tunnels that lead directly to other pubs in the immediate area.
This story might hold water if it was owned and operated by Redruth brewery as they would have been only a few yards away from this site.
Also I have a vague recollection that the cap park was once a biscuit factory and mill... if that was true then that might explain the large cellar .

Lets have your thoughts on this please.
Has anyone else heard this rumour?

 

[Halfhidden]

Well it is looking as if this story might have some essence to it.
Here is a map uploaded by treeve way back in 2008. It shows an area (that is now the car park) that was allocated for storage of beers wines and spirits.
I also asked the question then if this was the site of the Penzance biscuit factory.

Here's that link: White Lion car park

 

[treeve]

Crumbs !

 

[Halfhidden]

Yes, quite. I think I got a similar reception some years ago on here when I asked if the biscuit factory was in the Green Market. Some members called me "crackers" and others said that there has never been a biscuit factory in Penzance.
However, I have just found this entry in the 1773 - 1832 Census

Alexandra F Ashwell,Son,S,17,,Biscuit Factory,Employed,Penzance Cornwall,,

 

[tabtab13]

I think we should get Time Team down here and on the case!

 

[Halfhidden]

Maybe I'm seeing too much in to this but I'm curious to learn what the large building is behind the old market house. It looks like a factory.

 

[tabtab13]

Fascinating stuff! I'm sure I remember reading in a not so recent post that there were also meant to be tunnels somewhere around the old gasworks site? Makes you wonder what other tunnels lie buried in the central Penzance area.

 

[treeve]

Never forget the age dates back to the 1600s and before, as to "tunnels". These could well be something with no consequence at all, however? Besides remember also that below ground there is a geology that needs exploration, with at least some simple seismic tests.

 

[treeve]

We have a record (other than the OS of various dates, which I have posted here within copyright) by the great writer George Bown Millett. He has delineated the houses to the right of the old Market House 1805. Besides the original (in Morrab Library) There is also the reprint by The British Library.

 

[welb1931]

The Ritz (union cinema) went up around the same time as Woolworths..Under the green market car park there was a celler
as I remember - its where the Army cadets met on their formation..places that stood before the bombing were the Penzance
knitting factory, Osborne Hall whole sale grocers and an entrance to Pool's brewery and of couse the rear parts of various
other buildings which would have included Opie's the chemist, Bridgers books and a portion of the bank Liptons etc...

 

[fleagle]

There was a biscuit factory in Foundry Square, Hayle. Its possible Alexandra Ashwell worked there. Don't forget the railway came to Penzance in the 1850's. Your census entry is a bit vague cus the dates you have quoted would not have had the detail you gave. Should that entry be from the 1901 census?