At the lower end of Wicks Street is the remains of the old Corn Mill a business started by Mr P Dykes in 1869. The mill crushed mealies and also was a granary. Dykes cut a 100 metre tunnel through solid rock, off the Umhloti River to drive his mill. Mr A.H.Dykes took over the mill from his father and grew the business and consigned product as far as Kimberly. (Ref: Twentieth Century Impressions of Natal – 1906 – Lloyds Greater Britain Publishing Company.) There was also a forge that carried out repairs to the transport vehicles used at the time, and a chimney still exists.
I recently visited the old mill with some old images taken before 1906 and was allowed to photograph inside and out. The old image and new are published here. The core of the building has changed very little but the roof has fallen in. The interior has still got the massive beams on the different levels, which are now exposed and rotting.