Page 1 - WS A Moment In Time

A MOMENT IN TIME

1 Introduction

The Wokingham Town Council recognized that the 2018 Market Place refurbishment offered
an opportunity to bury a time capsule underneath the new Yorkstone surface, outside of the
Town Hall. Time capsules are used by schools, companies, councils and even families to
record and preserve today's artefacts for future generations, documenting how we live today.

At the time I was a volunteer working on Monday mornings adding content to the on line
Wokingham Town Council Virtual Museum which is accessed via the Wokingham Town
Council web site.

I was asked to assist in the project by providing guidance to the Town Council and
identifying and monitoring the actions needed to make it a success. This document
describes the steps that were taken and what items were placed in the capsule.

2 The Capsule

The rectangular capsule was cast in lead, which had been specifically chosen in consultation
with metallurgists and conservationists for its resistance to corrosion when buried
underground for long periods after which the contents are found to be in remarkable
condition.

3 Preservation Tips

I contacted the supplier of the capsule to obtain preservation tips. In summary it was
recommended that gloves be used to handle the items to be placed in the capsule and that
each item be placed in its own suitable polypropylene self-sealable bags. Oil and grease
from fingers can soil the items and cause corrosion on contact with airborne pollutants. The
bags separate the different materials and avoid interaction between them.

I recommended that Sous Vide (water bath used for cooking) vacuum bags be used as they
can be customised in length, have a good seal and more importantly will have air taken out,
thus being vacuum packed and meeting many of the preservation requirements. I already
had a Sous Vide together with a domestic vacuum sealer that was used.

I first had to get confirmation from the suppliers of the vacuum bags that they were of a
suitable plastic, which they were.

The capsule was not be touched until the time the contents are to be added, so I made a
cardboard model to act as a guide for the number and size of the items that could be
included. The size was - 18” x 6.0” x 4.75”.

4 Candidates for Inclusion