Workmen in Edinburgh have uncovered a 105-year-old time capsule hidden inside a snuff tin beneath the Playfair Building at The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. The discovery was made during a Heritage Lottery funded renovation to transform the museum section into a modern public space.
The tin contained two newspapers from 19 March 1909, two postcards, and a list of names dated 26 March 1909. Chris Henry, the college's Director of Heritage, said the find was a complete surprise, as historical records only mentioned an official time capsule from 1830. He noted the tin and its contents were in remarkably good condition despite being underground for over a century.
The snuff tin originally held Kendal Brown Scented Snuff, manufactured by Samuel Gawith in Cumbria. A regular tin held 10g of powdered tobacco, suggesting the workers may have shared the snuff during their working day. The brand is still produced today using original machinery from 1793.
Among the newspapers was 'The Labour Leader: A Weekly Journal of Socialism, Trade Unionism and Politics', founded by Scottish socialist Keir Hardie MP. It featured articles on European socialist movements, the Paris Strike, and the Russian revolutionary 'Azeff Affair'. The second paper, 'The Illustrated Carpenter and Builder', included building articles and a cover story on a suburban house design costing £500 (approximately £52,500 today).
Two postcards depicted the Scottish National Exhibition of 1908, held in Edinburgh's Saughton Hall Estate, which attracted over 3.5 million visitors. A handwritten list named all joiners from Scott Morton & Co. who worked on the 1909 interior design.
