Capsule blast from the past

When a Dunedin man helped bury a time capsule at his school nearly 30 years ago, he never thought his daughters would be helping to uncover it.

Brett Johnston returned to Andersons Bay School yesterday to watch a time capsule from 1996 be unearthed from under the school hall.

He said he never expected his daughters, Lucy and Amelia, to be there when it all happened — after all, he was only 6 when the capsule was buried and his memory of the whole event is a little hazy.

"I can’t remember that far, but I remember doing a recording for it.

"I remember as kids we tried digging it up, but got nowhere near it."

Mr Johnston said he never thought the capsule would be uncovered in his lifetime.

Brett Johnston shows off an Otago Daily Times found in a time capsule buried at Andersons Bay School. He is flanked by his daughters, Lucy, 6, (left) and Amelia, 9. PHOTOS: PETER MCINTOSH

Items found included an old Otago Daily Times, pictures drawn by pupils and an old tape with a recording on it.

However, moisture had got into the capsule and degraded some of the contents.

The capsule was uncovered because the hall is being demolished and replaced by two classrooms and a new hall.

Work is planned to begin in March and a new capsule will be placed under the new hall.

Principal Pauline Simpson said yesterday was a chance for the school’s community to say goodbye to the old hall.