Time capsule buried 74 years ago found as university building demolished

A time capsule buried 74 years ago containing a half crown coin and newspapers has been found during the demolition of a university building.

Construction workers made the discovery while dismantling the Nuffield Centre, part of the University of Portsmouth.

The building was originally constructed as the Nuffield United Services (US) Officers’ Club to provide sports, recreation, accommodation and catering facilities to officers of the three services and their families in the city.

It is being demolished to make way for a teaching facility for the university, which took ownership of the site in 1978.

A King George VI half crown coin was found in the capsule (University of Portsmouth/PA)

The time capsule was found last weekend in a sealed lead pipe behind the date stone of the building, which is dated to May 9 1949.

It was found to contain a copy of The Times and Daily Graphic newspapers, a King George VI half crown coin in a bag stamped by the Secretary US Officers’ Grounds, an ‘order of proceedings’ from the laying of the stone event, a list of the grounds staff with signatures and headed notepaper from the construction company, John Hunt Ltd in Gosport.

Demolition site manager Nathan Byng, who made the discovery, said: “It’s very rare to come across time capsules. Sometimes we get told that they’re there but this was a complete surprise.

“When I found the lead pipe I could picture the guys who put it in place, and as a Portsmouth boy myself it felt like it was meant to be.”

In July 1951, the then-princess Elizabeth opened the new US Officers’ Club at an official ceremony paid for by Lord Nuffield at a cost of £170,000 pounds.

Ernest Berry Webber was the English architect behind the building’s design of the building.

A copy-heavy edition of The Times was also found (University of Portsmouth/PA)

His other work included the Southampton Civic Centre, King Edward VI School, Dagenham Civic Centre and Hammersmith Town Hall as well as rebuilding Portsmouth Guildhall.

After the club closed, it was bought in 1978 by the University of Portsmouth, which used the site for administration offices and a student services hub.

University archivist Anna Delaney said: “When the pipe was placed the university wasn’t even a university.

“In 1949 we were Portsmouth Municipal College and based in what we now call Park Building. We had no idea that this capsule had been placed in Nuffield, which makes finding it even more special.”

The Nuffield Centre is being demolished to make way for a new teaching and learning facility as part of the university’s plan to provide modern buildings and facilities for students and teaching.

Stories about a cinema workers strike and deadly fire were featured in a found edition of the Daily Graphic (University of Portsmouth/PA)

Vice-chancellor, Professor Graham Galbraith, who attended the capsule opening, said: “What struck me most was the headlines on the Daily Graphic newspaper from 1949, which include strike action and issues around dentistry.

“It’s not too dissimilar from what we’d be reading today.”