Time Capsule

[Odds]

After a year of planning we're about ready to embark upon a project fraught with fear and foreboding: a bathroom renovation. From new floorboards to freshly tiled walls no turn will be left unstoned in pursuit of the perfect bathroom.
In a previous house we did a kitchen renovation and all i found was an empty packet of 'Robin' cigarettes and a small token from an Ovaltine tin.
I've heard of people ripping up floorboards or taking out walls to find strange and unusual things left by previous owners and now i'm looking for a suitable tin to leave under the floor for whoever comes along after us.
What to leave, though...any thoughts?

 

[AngleEyes]

After a year of planning we're about ready to embark upon a project fraught with fear and foreboding: a bathroom renovation. From new floorboards to freshly tiled walls no turn will be left unstoned in pursuit of the perfect bathroom.
In a previous house we did a kitchen renovation and all i found was an empty packet of 'Robin' cigarettes and a small token from an Ovaltine tin.
I've heard of people ripping up floorboards or taking out walls to find strange and unusual things left by previous owners and now i'm looking for a suitable tin to leave under the floor for whoever comes along after us.
What to leave, though...any thoughts?

Names, photographs (family, property and local area), known history of the property, and possibly local area/local geopolitical, etc.
You can easily buy on t'internet, suitable plastic 'document friendly' wallets to safely keep paper etc.

 

[Odds]

I like the idea of photos but choosing one or two will be a project in itself.
Herself is busy riffling through albums and has the final say - but one of my roll-ups will definitely make it in there.

 

[Diver Fred]

Photo's of the building and surrounding area, Map. If you have them a copy of the paper deeds to the property. Local history (e.g. next to my family home is a spinny a.k.a. to the old locals the brickyard spinney, thenewcomers have no knowledge of why). Local area names, e.g. in a village the field names.

 

[Odds]

Photo's of the building and surrounding area, Map. If you have them a copy of the paper deeds to the property. Local history (e.g. next to my family home is a spinny a.k.a. to the old locals the brickyard spinney, thenewcomers have no knowledge of why). Local area names, e.g. in a village the field names.

They will have the deeds when ownership is transferred after the sale but an old picture of the place is a good idea. It's changed enormously since we've been here. If they're interested in local history the internet will provide all they need to know.

 

[conny]

Be careful what personal information you put in there. You may not decide to stay there for the rest of your life and the new owners may find it fairly soon. It would also need to be secured, maybe to a joist, to prevent unscrupulous workers that you need to employ at some time in the future.
We have buried one under my new workshop. It contains no 'personal' information except the names of who lived here and what part of the country we originated from. Tells when we moved here and some photo's of what it was like when we moved in alongside some of what it looked like when we buried it. A selection of coins, a drawing by my granddaughter and a receipt for the last heating oil delivery. Finally a brief description of when it was buried and what we have achieved whilst living here. Because it is under the workshop, (which is on small stilts at the enclosed end), we have placed a marker on top,(which will only be viewable if you knock the workshop down), explaining about the time capsule. Hopefully it will be there for many, many years.

 

[Diver Fred]

They will have the deeds when ownership is transferred after the sale but an old picture of the place is a good idea. It's changed enormously since we've been here. If they're interested in local history the internet will provide all they need to know.

I'm sorry but I'll disagree on the Deeds - the electronic deeds as held by the land registry are not as comprehensive as the original paper ones. When a property is transfered and has only paper deeds the most comprehensive ones have to be sent in to the land registry; those paper records are never returned.
Secondly most building society and Banks much prefer not retain additional paper deeds nowadays just relying on LR records but will not give the property mortagees the paper records either.

 

[Diver Fred]

Be careful what personal information you put in there. You may not decide to stay there for the rest of your life and the new owners may find it fairly soon. It would also need to be secured, maybe to a joist, to prevent unscrupulous workers that you need to employ at some time in the future.
We have buried one under my new workshop.

The owners of the house I've just been working asked me to leave their 'Time Capsule' under the new bathroom floor. a sealed plastic box in a ganvanised box.

 

[Odds]

Be careful what personal information you put in there. You may not decide to stay there for the rest of your life and the new owners may find it fairly soon. It would also need to be secured, maybe to a joist, to prevent unscrupulous workers that you need to employ at some time in the future.
We have buried one under my new workshop... (which is on small stilts at the enclosed end), we have placed a marker on top,(which will only be viewable if you knock the workshop down), explaining about the time capsule. Hopefully it will be there for many, many years.

We're of an age where moving is the last thing we want to do, but i don't intend to leave anything incriminating...once this floor is down i hope it'll be another 100 years before anyone has to replace it. Can you imagine what it'll be like in 2121?
Nope, me neither.
The original builders in 1931/2 couldn't have a clue what would happen to their floor after packing up to go on another job. Although they did leave an old newspaper packed under the stairs for us to find when we had a new staircase fitted. I remember the headline was on about gamekeepers and grouse. Exciting times.
Maybe the front page of the days Times would be a fun idea.

 

[Odds]

I'm sorry but I'll disagree on the Deeds - the electronic deeds as held by the land registry are not as comprehensive as the original paper ones. When a property is transfered and has only paper deeds the most comprehensive ones have to be sent in to the land registry; those paper records are never returned.
Secondly most building society and Banks much prefer not retain additional paper deeds nowadays just relying on LR records but will not give the property mortagees the paper records either.

We have a photocopy of the original deeds, which we asked for and received some time ago. Maybe things are done differently now.

 

[Mottie]

I always leave a selection of local and national newspapers in a carrier bag under the floor when I do something. I also leave messages for myself on the walls when I'm papering. Oh year, and tracing the outline of our kids on the wall before papering too. Been here for 32 years though so I've came across plenty of stuff that I've left for others!

When I took my hall floor up, I found a newspaper date around 1961 and the headline was about Prince Phillip shooting his first tiger on a trip to India. Apparently they staked out a live goat and he just sat and waited......

 

[noseall]

Photos are always a good idea as are newspapers.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Hardly a time capsule but my bedroom had the previous owners carpet in it for maybe 20 years before I finally gave it a makeover and the underlay was underlaid with newspapers from the early 60’s.
Interesting to read.

 

[johnny2007]

I found a coat on a coat hanger perfectly laid between joists.
Why would you waste insulation when you can use old clothes???

 

[securespark]

I lifted up a carpet in a house when I was self employed and saw my sister staring up at me from the pages of the Manchester Evening News.