Hello 2317, it’s 2017 calling: today’s trinkets buried for years
EVERYDAY ITEMS HIDDEN IN DURHAM CAPSULE FOR 300 YEARS
IF you were invited to place objects in a time capsule to be opened by North Easterners in 300 years’ time, what would you choose to illustrate life today?
An American superhero comic? Or perhaps a miniature music box that plays the song Edelweiss? Your latest parking ticket? How about a tin opener? All are among the objects placed in an aluminium time capsule which has gone into storage in the archives department of Durham Record Office, to be opened on March 21, 2317.
The capsule has been assembled by photographer James Robinson, from Newton Aycliffe in County Durham.
He was inspired to create the aluminium box-within-a-box after reading about the Westinghouse capsules in the United States.
The first was buried in 1938 and the second in 1965 and are not due to be opened until 6939.
James, whose photographs are included in the permanent collections of the National Portrait Gallery and The Royal Society, said: “The capsule is intended to be opened on March 21, 2317, a day I have chosen because of its symbolic association with the first day of spring and the rebirth of the natural world, which equates to the new lease of life for the data within the time capsule once it is opened.”
Noel Bennett, also of Newton Aycliffe, has made a film about the project, its contents, how it was sealed and how it will be stored.
There will be a showing the film at St Clare’s Church Hall, St Cuthbert’s Way, Newton Aycliffe, on April 21 at 7pm, with a question and answer session.
Liz Bregazzi, county archivist at Durham County Record Office, will talk about how the time capsule will be preserved
Liz said: “James’ request to store the capsule was quite an unusual one and not something we have been asked to do before.
“It’s the only time capsule we have in our stores but we are always interested in different ideas and suggestions for capturing and preserving the past.”
Other items in the capsule include: A list of food prices in 2016; crime statistics for England and Wales for the year ending 2015; a list of fines for motoring offences; predictions of expected scientific advances for the next 300 years; copies of posters, drawings and photographs by James; vintage travel and other advertising posters; copies of postage stamp and banknote designs; colour images of the first six Russian cosmonauts; copies of matchbox labels and a copy of Patrick Moore’s moon map originally published in the Sky at Night magazine.
There are also more than 100 coins from around the world; a collection of crown cap bottles tops and pin badges; vintage lighters and mechanical wrist watches; a vintage razor from 1912; a model of a car, a police whistle; hip flask, nail clippers and a pencil sharpener.
A message of goodwill to the people of 2317 includes: “May you find this capsule to be of interest and of value and may it furnish you with new knowledge of how the world once was for those of us who lived some 300 years before your present era.”
James has also produced a booklet, which has been distributed to major archive centres in an effort to ensure that the time capsule remains within the scope of human memory.
Plaques on the capsule also state when, and how, the capsule is to be opened.