A joiner has discovered an old handwritten note tucked inside an empty whisky bottle that had been hidden behind a staircase for 67 years, while working on a £3.4m renovation.
Site manager Steve Wooddisse stumbled upon the discovery while dismantling a staircase alongside a joiner to make room for a new downstairs toilet in the Grade II listed Liversage Trust's almshouses in Derby.
The mysterious message
The note was written on the back of a Ciro nylon hair net packet, a common household product from the 1950s, which bears the date 12 October 1959. Addressed to its future finder, it has been hailed as an 'extraordinary glimpse' into Derby life during that era.
Time has caused some of the ink to fade, therefore certain sections of the text can't be read. The message reads: "The best of luck mate. I hope you are not at war - it's a terrifying thing war."
"This was bricked up Oct 12th 1959. Just after the general election when the Conservatives got in by a 101 majority. It is raining in Derby now for the first time since about April after a first class summer. Derby 1 Portsmouth 0."
"Not doing so well this season Derby. Signed W H Braid, 3 Swarkestone Drive, Littleover."
Historical significance
The bottle itself originates from the 1940s, the trust confirmed, though its whisky contents had vanished long ago. Similar sealed bottles have fetched up to £300 at auction, according to the trust.
Andy Mellors, from the Liversage Trust, commented: "Finding the bottle was interesting, but it was the note that really stopped us in our tracks. Someone took the time to leave a message for whoever might one day uncover it, never knowing if it would be found."
"The note captures an ordinary day in Derby's history, yet today it feels incredibly special. It gives us a small but very personal connection with someone who worked on these buildings decades ago."
The Liversage Trust is now reaching out to the public, hoping someone might recognise the name W H Braid or the Littleover address mentioned in the note.
