Skip to content

Children's memories unearthed from time capsule

Gemma Sherlock
BBC News, North East and Cumbria
Steve Brock photography Two men wearing hi-vis yellow jackets hold a spade and a large metal cylinder as they crouch down next to a hole in concrete. A group of children and adults stand behind them looking at the camera. Steve Brock photography
The time capsule was buried under a pavement slab outside Newcastle's Theatre Royal

A time capsule unearthed after 25 years has been described as a "beautiful reminder" of children's hopes and dreams.

It was buried under a paving slab near The Theatre Royal in 2000 as part of Newcastle's millennium celebrations.

Opened up in a ceremony by representatives from the schools which took part originally, the capsule revealed children's drawings of city landmarks, including the Grade I listed theatre, along with letters and photographs.

"This project not only celebrates our city's past but also inspires future generations to reflect on their own place in Newcastle's story," Newcastle City councillor Lesley Storey said.

"This time capsule is a beautiful reminder of the hopes, dreams, and creativity of Newcastle's young people at the turn of the millennium."

Designed to "enlighten and delight the schoolchildren of the future", the capsule contained contributions from Canning Street Primary, Parkway Special and Throckley Middle schools.

Newcastle City Council Photographs of children writing on paper on a concrete floor appear above written notes. There are also photographs of a grand building with stone columns in a display on a table. Newcastle City Council
The contents will go on display in the summer

Its contents showcased their thoughts on the buildings of Grainger Town and also included drawings of the landscape at the time.

Magazines and booklets of a children's discovery trail were also in the capsule, along with children's messages.

Pupil Christopher Heslop wrote at the time: "The Theatre Royal used to be further down but Richard Grainger broke The Theatre Royal and made a new one there further up."

He was referring to the demolition of the building on Mosley Street before it was moved to Grey Street, as part of builder Richard Grainger's grand design for the centre of Newcastle.

Newcastle City Council Various bits of white paper with drawings of buildings on them on a table. In the centre is a photograph of a group of school children crouched down on pavement. Newcastle City Council
The items also contained children's drawings of the theatre and other nearby buildings

The unearthing ceremony was attended by staff working in the city's schools at the time, representatives from the only remaining participating school, Canning Street Primary School, as well as staff from Newcastle City Council and the Theatre Royal.

A public exhibition of the recovered items will be held this summer in the Arches Reception Gallery at Newcastle Civic Centre.

Newcastle City Council Magazines folded over which read 'Grainger Town Life' and other colourful blue booklets lie on a table in a spread.Newcastle City Council
Magazines and school work were also included in the capsule in 2000

Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.

Related stories
Related internet links