Posted Thursday 3 February 2011
Kingston's Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, Professor Penny Sparke, heard about the capsule from an ex-colleague. "I was told by former Dean Keith Grant that the capsule was buried under a stone plinth in the courtyard at Knights Park," she explained. The plinth was erected to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953 and, with work underway to convert the garden in to a new library, builders were asked to check if there was anything inside it. They confirmed there was an object there and, on 22 January, Professor Sparke joined other University staff and students in the garden to see the capsule emerge from its concrete hiding place.
"For me what makes the capsule particularly interesting is that the contents relate directly to the art school," Professor Sparke said. "It gives us an insight into the institutional history - Kingston School of Art was such an amazing place, leading the way in terms of creative education. I love the idea that they put paper clips and a drawing pin inside. They must have imagined they would be obsolete by the time the container was excavated.
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Current Dean of the Faculty Dr Simon Ofield-Kerr said the 1952 prospectus was particularly fascinating. "It's beautiful in terms of its design and illustrations," he said. "It is very much of its time, but it's also a publication we would be very proud to produce today, understated and assured - qualities that are distinctly Kingston."
Dr Ofield-Kerr and Professor Sparke have decided that future inhabitants of Knights Park should have the chance to share in the delights of time travel, and will be re-burying the capsule in the new library - with a few 21st Century additions. University staff and students will be asked to suggest what iconic items or everyday essentials should be placed in the capsule to give tomorrow's historians a flavour of life in the Faculty in 2011.
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