Time capsule find from 1983 sparks family memories

Phil and Charlotte Betts, who were renovating a holiday let when the time capsule was found, got in touch with the family who left it back in 1983

The discovery of a time capsule has not only excited the finders, it has also brought back precious memories for the family who concealed it back in 1983.

Builders working for Charlotte and Phil Betts, from Oulton Broad, Suffolk, found the glass jar containing a variety of items including a newspaper, faded photographs, coins and an AA member's card.

Mrs Betts decided to track down the family who had left the time capsule in a wall of a former stables and she said it was wonderful to get in touch with the daughter of the man who had hidden it.

Jackie Aarons, who helped to put together the contents of the time capsule, said its discovery had sparked some wonderful memories of her father Les Aarons, who died in 2021.

Les Aarons concealed the time capsule in January 1983 and at the time his wife, Celia, was working for Hoseasons based in Lowestoft

Written on the back of one the old photographs was a note that read: "August 1982, renovation of old stables. Owner Leslie David Aarons shown here. Purchased 'Woodlands' April 1979. Wife Celia Anne, children David, Jane and Jacqueline."

Mrs Betts said: "We moved into our home about a year ago and we currently have builders renovating a holiday let which used to be an old stables next to the house.

"They found the time capsule and I decided to try to get in touch with the family to let them know that it had been discovered after being hidden away for more than 40 years."

Mrs Betts posted a story on social media and this week she had a phone conversation with Jacqueline, who now prefers to be known as Jackie, to discuss the story behind the time capsule.

Ms Aarons, who lives near Loddon in Norfolk, said: "My father decided he would make the old stables next to the house into a holiday let and he put the time capsule into one of the walls.

"I wondered if it would ever get uncovered in my lifetime and it's amazing it has been after 40 or so years.

"It's brought back some great memories but it's particularly lovely to see my dad's handwriting as he is now sadly no longer with us. It's also reminded me of the time we had at the house because it was really enjoyable growing up there."

Mrs Betts said: "Who would have thought that just doing up a holiday let would open up this big network of people and all this interesting information?

"It's also made them them happy as well because they thought it would never be dug up so it's been amazing."

Mr Betts said: "To bring everything up to modern standards we decided to renovate the holiday let and the builders found the time capsule when they were digging up the floor in the bathroom.

"After reading the newspaper, the price of most homes at the time seem to range from about £15,000 to around £30,000, which seems very cheap compared to now."

The newspaper also contained information about the top chart hits of the week with You Can't Hurry Love by Phil Collins taking the number one spot, with Best Years of Our Lives by Modern Romance in second place and coming in third was Heartache Avenue by The Maisonettes.